


Put the Frog in Boiling Water

by BbyGrill



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Abusive Relationships, Dead Dove: Do Not Eat, Domestic Violence, Emotional Manipulation, Hanzo’s stronger than he thinks, Homophobic Language, M/M, Modern AU, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Physical Abuse, Rating May Change, Strangulation, Trauma, Verbal Abuse, Very Heavy, Vomiting, dubcon, hanzo is trying, like seriously
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-15
Updated: 2020-08-12
Packaged: 2021-03-03 21:55:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 12
Words: 40,546
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24742660
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BbyGrill/pseuds/BbyGrill
Summary: Hanzo’s never had a boyfriend like this. He’s beautiful and sweet and devoted.But then it happens. And then it happens again.Is anyone watching?If you’ve had issues with domestic violence in the past, this may be emotionally triggering for you. If you feel this may be the case for you, please don’t force yourself to read this. Thank you for considering this fiction though!
Relationships: Genji Shimada/Angela "Mercy" Ziegler, Jesse McCree & Reaper | Gabriel Reyes, Jesse McCree/Hanzo Shimada, Reaper | Gabriel Reyes & Soldier: 76 | Jack Morrison, Reaper | Gabriel Reyes/Soldier: 76 | Jack Morrison
Comments: 254
Kudos: 345





	1. So it happens

**Author's Note:**

> National Domestic Violence Hotline can help victims, survivors of domestic violence. Call 1-800-799-7233. 
> 
> If you’ve had issues with domestic violence in the past, this may be emotionally triggering for you. If you feel this may be the case for you, please don’t force yourself to read this. Thank you for considering this fiction though!

When he meets Elio, Hanzo was charmed instantly.

One of Genji’s friends that he meets while he’s at a club introduces him. He was built, with dirty blonde ringlets and deep soulful brown eyes. He was beautiful, but Hanzo was only interested because Elio wasn’t directly related to his brother socially. Genji hangs off of him and says that he’s heard of him, seen him online, but they don’t really know each other. It’s perfect, Hanzo thinks to himself, he’d be able to have someone he can call his own.

Hanzo and Elio hit it off. The man is a gentleman, he seems actually interested in talking with Hanzo. He’s respectful to his brother, but he really only seems to want to spend time with the older Shimada. That’s a first, what tends to happen is his past boyfriends try to use Hanzo to get to Genji. Genji’s girlfriends sometimes do the same with Hanzo. Both of them find ways to publicly humiliate them when everything comes to a head. They hate that kind of behavior, they live to punish it.

Elio seems rooted to Hanzo, however, and the brothers can’t help but to be completely enamored with that.

Elio asks him to move in. Hanzo has to ask his brother to make sure, they were splitting the rent. Genji lets out a long sigh of relief. His newest girlfriend, Angela, has been dying for him to move in with him and he never told Hanzo for the exact same reason.

It was perfect. Life with Elio was perfect. Elio seemed to want to keep it that way. He has the highest standards.

He wanted the beds made, he wanted the kitchen clean. 

The towels folded in threes.

The pillows on the couch coordinated.

The trash can facing out away from the refrigerator not in the same direction when you take out the trash, seriously Hanzo are you fucking stupid? I’ve told you how many times already, why the fuck can’t you get it right?

Elio was a little possessive, but Hanzo found that kind of nice. He never had a boyfriend get jealous over him. Elio sometimes needed some talking down from a fight and sometimes it got in the way of spending time with his brother, but Genji understood. It was a new relationship, they’re gonna want to spend a lot more time together. Hanzo’s time was Elio’s time. Hanzo shouldn’t be spending it with that stupid French goth whore or that stuck up Indian bitch, and definitely not that tex-mex cowboy fag—even if they were his best friends. Elio definitely didn’t want Hanzo running around at the clubs with his brother like some hussy.

Elio had high standards, he liked things a certain way. Hanzo has to be willing to compromise.

It was very clear the first time it happens.

Genji had talked him into going to a house party with their friends and then talks him into staying late. It would have been a great time, but his stomach was in knots the whole night. He was thinking of his boyfriend. He does loosen up a bit once Genji passes him a few drinks to toss back, but in the back of his head is worries about Elio.

His brother and his girlfriend drops Hanzo off at the apartment and wish him a goodnight. His boyfriend is instantly on him.

“Is that booze? You smell awful. I told you not to go out at night, and especially not with your brother. He’s so loose.”

Hanzo shakes his head, still a bit tipsy. “We didn’t go to a club. It was a house party.”

“What difference does that make! You were dancing and grinding,” Elio grabs him by the arm and gives him a good shake. “Who’d you dance with?”

“No one! Just my brother! I barely danced, I thought of you the whole time.”

“You’re such a hussy, Hanzo.”

“I am not! I didn’t dance with anyone else!”

“Don’t fucking raise your voice!”

Elio swings his hand across Hanzo’s left cheek. Hanzo’s head is still swimming with his 6 shots from the party. He’s so confused, all he can really say is, “Ow.” He takes a deliberate step back.

Suddenly Elio’s in a panic.

“Lovely! I’m so sorry! I— I was just! I’m just scared, you’re too pretty to leave alone. Others obviously notice you! I’m so sorry. You know I get jealous, you shouldn’t be out there like that, dressed like that. I can’t stand the thought of you with anyone else. I love you. It’ll never happen again. I love you.”

That’s the first time he says it. Hanzo can understand. It was out of fear. It was his fault for worrying Elio in the first place.

“It is okay. I... I love you too.”

Elio bathes Hanzo in the shower and they go to bed. They do not talk about what happened.

But then it does happens again.

This time it’s because Hanzo was talking with Jesse when Elio comes to pick him up from his job. The cowboy isn’t his best friend, that place was battled over by Amélie and his brother. He is up there though. Jesse waves good bye and cracks a dumb joke about alligators that Hanzo never understands. The cowboy says it’s just fun because it rhymes.

Hanzo gets into the passenger side, but the car never moves. Jesse is already back inside the office complex.

“What the fuck was that.”

“What?”

Elio is gripping the wheel so hard.

“You were smiling and giggling. Are you two having a fling behind my back?”

Hanzo blanches. “Of course not! Do not accuse me of such things. I would never.”

Elio grabs his right arm, the one closest to the door.

“Don’t lie! I fucking hate it when you lie.”

“I am not—“

Elio slaps him once in the face and gets a couple of punches in on the arm he’s got a hold of.

“Elio!”

Elio lets him go roughly, throwing him at the car door. He starts the car.

“Put your fucking seatbelt on.”

They’re silent the entire ride home.

When they get inside, Elio apologizes. He’s so sorry. He says it’s because he’s jealous, Hanzo knows he gets jealous, so why would he do that? Why would he flirt with that stupid fucking cowboy in front of his own boyfriend like that. Elio is in tears. Doesn’t Hanzo care? He has him, Elio is always devoted, why would Hanzo hurt him like that?

Hanzo apologizes too. He dries Elio’s tears and makes it up to him by cooking dinner and spending the night with his face between Elio’s thighs.

They ignore the fact that Hanzo’s shoulder is bruised and that his cheek stings when he washes his face the next morning.

It happens again right before an office party Hanzo has to go to, and this time it’s really bad.

Hanzo doesn’t even know what set his boyfriend off this time, his mind is scrambling to figure out what he did wrong. Elio has him by the collar of his suit, he’s seething and wrinkling the fabric. He’s screaming at Hanzo about how he could be so dumb and so awful for... whatever it is he’s done.

Hanzo apologies profusely. He wants his boyfriend to calm down so they can just go to the company function. Please calm down. They were going to be late to the presentations if Elio lets himself get worked up like he does. 

Elio tells him to shut up. He pushes him against the bed and twists Hanzo’s tie until he can’t breathe, bracing against the other’s chest. When Hanzo tries to move the blonde’s hands, he gets clocked in the face for his efforts. Hanzo tries saying the other’s name, to reach out to his boyfriend through his rage.

“Elio. Please! I— Stop!”

Elio lets him go.

Hanzo tries to sit up, but Elio is upon him, crashing their lips together forcefully. Hanzo tries to stop him, “Anata, please! We still have somewhere to be!” Elio withdraws. 

“You don’t like kissing me?”

“What?”

“You don’t like being with me.”

“I-I do! Of course I do.”

“You’d rather go out.”

“Elio?”

Elio’s breathing becomes labored as his eyes well up.

“You’d rather go out than stay in with me! You can’t stand to be with me, just us!”

Hanzo quickly shakes his head. “Definitely not! I love spending time with you, you know that!”

Elio breaths out and then begins to sob, desperately clamoring against Hanzo. Hanzo asks what brought this outburst on.

Apparently his boyfriend was fired earlier that week and wasn’t taking it very well. He can’t believe Hanzo didn’t notice until now. Hanzo was so awful for trying to make him go out to even a casual work setting when he was going through something so difficult. That’s why Elio did that, obviously. 

“I am sorry. We don’t have to go out tonight.”

“We don’t?”

Hanzo nods. They decide to change out of their rumpled suits and get into pajamas for the evening and put on a movie. Hanzo even digs through the pantry to find a bag of white chocolate chips to melt into the popcorn, just the way his boyfriend likes. It’s a better evening than they originally had planned.

The next morning Hanzo looks in the mirror and his jawline is terribly bruised. His neck is mottled too, sore from the way his collar cinched from Elio’s fist. He rummages through his drawer under the sink for his makeup bag. The bruise on his face is pretty big, but it’s not too dark. He can get away with some concealer and a bit of foundation. Most of it is under his beard anyway, so it’s barely noticeable. He goes for a little bit of highlighter to distract from it a bit more and a more dramatic eyeliner look the bring most of the attention to his eyes. 

He kisses his boyfriend goodbye before he leaves.

His coworker, Amélie, stomps up to him almost immediately.

“You were not at the party last night.”

Hanzo shakes his head no. “My boyfriend needed me to stay home with him. It has been a rough week for him.”

Amélie scoffs. “I had a presentation! I need you to support me. You know they like with you like.”

Hanzo frowns, bowing his head. “I am sorry.”

He’s been apologizing a lot lately.

His friend tells him to lift his head, it went fine either way. They decide to go get breakfast, but Hanzo has to pay to make up for it.

“That is something can do.”

Hanzo orders a blue berry bagel and a milk tea for himself and a cheese plate with fruit and a soy mocha for his friend.

“Your make up looks nice,” the cashier says. Hanzo fakes a smile.

When Amélie lights up at what Hanzo brings to their booth, the smile becomes much more real.

It felt good to do something right for the first time in a while.


	2. A Watched Pot

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Angela stops and stares him down. 
> 
> “Look out for your brother. It could be the start of maybe something worse, and it could be trouble later.”
> 
> So much for that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No major chapter warnings here. Thanks everyone for your comments so far, I really appreciate them so far :)

Genji invited his brother out for lunch so he could get to know his girlfriend.

They were getting serious and Hanzo just had to so see how smart and beautiful and smart this ‘Angela’ was. He wanted to see the girl who dazzled everyone on her first day as an intern by delivering a baby in the lobby. 

They meet at Hanzo’s desk. It’s a corner office, and despite what anyone else might tell you, it was rightfully earned. While the company hired him based on his family name, his knowledge was enough to restructure most of the company’s major finances most efficiently. He managed to pinpoint people who were siphoning funds into their personal accounts and people who were cooking the books for a cut of the cash. Hanzo did defect from the Shimada enterprise, after all. His father’s company was full of that sort of foul play so he knew how to point it out from the get go. He lived with it after all. Because of this, Hanzo Shimada was considered one of the most distinguished persons at the office, one steady on his way up.

Every time the other Shimada shows up to his office though, it’s hell on wheels. Between having to switch back the hot and cold tabs on the water cooler and getting his brother to stop using his rolling chair as the “tornado tiddy buster” (trademark pending), Hanzo was barely able to leave the complex with some of his dignity in tact. It didn’t help that this Angela person did next to nothing but giggle at it.

They manage to get to the noodle joint without any extra fanfare.

Genji orders for Angela, something veggie heavy, since she didn’t know what she would like. Genji gets something spicy and drowned in bean spouts. Hanzo gets one of the udon specials.

“Angela, you are very...” Hanzo tilts his head from right to left as he searches for his words. “Tame. Compared to my brother. How do you intend to influence him?”

Genji doesn’t look up from his meal, simply lurches forward as he kicks at his brother’s ankles. Hanzo huffs. Angela laughs. “I don’t think I’d ever try to change him. He’s playful, and it’s charming and refreshing.”

Genji smirks at Hanzo. “Do you hear that, Hanzo? I’m charming and refreshing.”

Hanzo tuts. “Surely she has not lived with you long enough.” He turns to the blonde. “You know, one evening during one of our father’s business meetings, he burst in to show father that he could belch the entire alphabet and threw up half way through.”

“What?” Angela bubbles with barely restrained laughter.

Genji tries to kick him again.

“He used to gnaw on the bars of his crib. It was a relic passed down through generations. I believe it may have been manufactured when they still used lead in the paint— ow!”

Genji managed to land a stomp. Hanzo huffs and stomp back. The two of them divulge into petty fight under the table.

“It runs in the family!” Angela exclames.

Hanzo stiffens. Genji cackles. 

“Wow, Hanzo, called out!”

The elder curses his brother in Japanese and goes back to eating.

Their lunch was a good one, they share two squares of tiramisu between themselves as Angela tells them that story about delivering that baby in the lobby.

“It was a mess! Blood and viscera everywhere. But, bam, there’s his little head, and suddenly shoulders. It’s not like we could make her hold it until they finished cleaning the room for her! So I just kind of run to a sink, wash my hands, get the gloves on and pop him out of there.”

Never mind they were talking about the realities of childbirth, Genji was staring at her like she was sent from above. “Babe. Tell him about the part where you had to wake up the dad.”

Angela laughs and launches into telling Hanzo about how that dad passed out before he could cut the cord. Hanzo smiles to himself has he rest his head on his palm. He choose the wrist that hurts so he quickly switches to the other hand. Angela pauses to look him over. 

“Yes?” Hanzo asks. 

“Oh, sorry. I lost my train of thought.”

Genji brushes her arm with his finger tips. “He was trying to run away from the baby.”

“Oh! So I tried to hand him the infant and he instantly backs up...”

They drop Hanzo off after they finish their lunch. Genji's elated, his big brother obviously approves of his girlfriend. They wave goodbye to Hanzo and the two of them head back to the subway so they can go back uptown. Angie has an afternoon shift and Genji has to fold clothes.

“Does your brother have carpal tunnel?”

Genji blinks. “I... don’t know.”

“Hm. Does he play any sports? Baseball?”

“No?”

“Tennis?”

Genji glances at her. “Absolutely not.”

“Hm.”

The entire way back is full of questions from Angie about Hanzo.

He doesn’t box? Does he fish? Work out? Was he diagnosed with arthritis? How’s his diet like? Is he low on calcium? How does he sleep? Is he left handed?

Genji appreciates Angela being interested in his family, but this was bordering on obsessive.

“What’s the damage?” He snaps. “What has you so interested in my brother? I’m sorry Angel, but that sort of thing can make a man worry.”

Angela pauses again, but she only gives him a nervous laugh. 

“He’s too angsty and pretentious for me, liebling. I’m just... worried about him. He looked like he was in pain.”

Genji tilts his head as he tries to remember. “Are you sure that’s not just his face?”

Angela laughs, for real this time. “I’m serious! He wouldn’t rest his head on his right hand, and he kept switching hand for his bag. It could be a wrist sprain.”

“I’ll tell him to go easy on jerking his boyfriend off then.”

“I’m serious!”

“I’m serious too!”

Angela stops and stares him down. 

“Look out for your brother. It could be the start of carpel tunnel or maybe something worse, and it could be trouble later. What if it runs in your family?”

Genji groans. “Fiiiiiiine. I’ll talk to him.”

Angela nods. “Alright.”

They’re quiet for a moment, but when she opens her mouth again, whatever she was going to say next gets cut off when their train comes.

Next week Genji goes out for drinks with Jesse. Jesse works at the same firm that Hanzo does, but as a courier. He gets paid way more than the average one, though, since he has to transport highly sensitive materials. He doesn’t know what any them are, though. On account of them being sensitive.

They’re having a great evening, they’re at a gay bar because Jesse just pushed through a break up with his boss, who’s ex rolled through. Of course Gabe would go crawling back to Jack. It happened every time, of course it wouldn’t be any different this time, not even with Jesse in the way.

“Go on cowboy! Wow someone with your charm.”

“It’ll do me no good anyways. Everyone’s staring at you.”

“Too bad I’m taken.”

Jesse scoffs. “I still don’t get why Angela’s with your ass.”

Genji sighs dreamily. “Yeah...” He pulls a dopey smile. “Me neither. Isn’t she just amazing?”

Jesse laughs. “Sure. That isn’t to say I’m not glad to have you with me. At least one Shimada still wants to hang out with me.”

Genji squints. “What?”

Jesse pulls a face and takes off his hat. It wasn’t his usual ratty one, the flat brimmed one whose sole purpose is to keep off the sun. This one is one of his fashionable ten gallons, the black one that goes with his mesh black outfit.

“Hanzo.”

Genji pinches him. It earns him a yelp from the cow man. “I know my brother’s name! I want to know what’s going on between you two!”

Jesse tilts his head from side to side, as if he’s weighing something.

“He seems like he’s avoiding me.”

Genji nods, motioning for him to go on. Jesse runs his hands through his hair.

“He won’t go out to lunch with me anymore, he don’t wanna hang out at the gym on Sundays anymore... hell, if I come by at the office, suddenly he’s done got some place else to be.” Jesse dumps his head on the counter. Genji rapidly taps him to raise his head, ‘that’s dirty!’

“I’m starting to think I did something to upset him.”

Genjis frowns. “Hm.”

“Yeah...” Jesse takes a sip of his beer. “He didn’t say anything to you? We’re supposed to be best work buds, or... at least in my head we were.”

Genji shakes his head. “No, he hasn’t... but I’ll talk to him for you.”

Jesse smiles. “Thank you... I couldn’t handle another screw up like that... not after Gabriel.”

Genji groans. “Shut up about that emo prep chaser! Here,” He orders Jesse a line of tequila shots. “Your favorite. Don’t open your mouth unless to consume these. I don’t want to hear another word about your boss!”

Jesse cackles and does exactly as he’s told.

By the end of the month, he manages to lure Hanzo to his apartment. Angela has a couple of her work friends out for dinner, so it’s just them. Hanzo refuses to go out to anywhere ‘party-esque,’ so they settle on a night in watching 90-Day-Fiancé and self care.

“Hanzo I want the frog mask!”

“Hand me the blue throw and it’s yours.”

Genji groans. “But I had it first!”

“You live here, you always get to use it.”

“No, because when Angela’s here, she uses it!”

“Hm. That sounds like a you problem,” Hanzo says, calmly ripping open the package for the mask. Genji groans again, louder this time, and throws the blanket at him. “Thank you,” Hanzo says, handing him the frog mask. Genji puts it on, green to match his hair. He shivers as it touches his skin— why are these always so cold? 

Hanzo huffs and puts the mama shark mask. He’s impervious to the coolness of it, it seems.

Genji paints his finger nails black and his toenails green. Hanzo grooms his nails until they’re neat, and would have settled with just that, but his brother talks him into applying a very sheer blue metallic over it. For funsies. That way it still looked like his nails were plain and professional, that is until the light reflects blue off of them.

They make fun of the people on their television, especially Yolonda who is definitely being blackmailed by her catfish. They cackle at Rose who makes her sugar daddy sweat in the Filipino sun.

It was a good night. So good, Genji almost forgets to talk to his brother.

Right now, when he remembers, Hanzo’s explaining to him what happened last episode with the old man who chats online with allegedly real girls from Ukraine.

“He had been spending money on this website for, I think, ten years. He’s already tried meeting her in real life, but she did not come to meet him...”

It wasn’t just Angela and Jesse bugging him about Hanzo.

Satya, their long standing friend (more Hanzo’s than his, with snobbish personalities like theirs) has been worried about Hanzo, too. He seems a bit more anxious as of late, almost as bad as when he first came to the states. Zenyatta, the first friend Genji had ever made when he moved, also attended the conversation and agreed with her. “He has a similar energy as you did when I first met you,” he said.

Amélie said something about how preoccupied he’s been in passing. Mei said something about how he never has time for their Saturday tea and gossip anymore. Genji looks up at his brother from his place on the floor beside the couch. 

“... And you missed it last time, but the big old lady that’s going to Nigeria refuses to bring condoms. Brother, when I tell you I gagged—“

“Are you okay, Hanzo?”

Hanzo glances at him, still smiling but very much confused. “Yes? I did not vomit, if that is what you are wondering.”

“No— not about the show forget about the show for a second.” Genji turns his body towards him. “Like, in life. Are you okay?”

Hanzo looks down, as if he’s really considering the question. “...No. I am just fine.”

“Are you sure?”

“Mmm... Yes.”

“Like really sure?”

“What is this questioning.”

“A lot of people have been worried about you. They say it’s been... different since you’ve been with Elio.”

Hanzo looks back down at his hands. “Are... you worried about me?”

Genji shrugs. “I mean I don’t see it.”

“Hm.”

“But everyone is asking about you and you have been cancelling a lot lately. Mei misses tea time. Jesse misses... you.”

Hanzo scoffs brushes his hair over his shoulder. “I cannot spend so much time with Jesse. I have a boyfriend.” He picks up his phone and starts typing.

Genji squints. “So what? I have Angela and I can hang out with Jesse.”

“Elio... doesn’t like Jesse.”

“ _So what?_ ”

“Elio’s jealous and I’d rather not cause a rift between us.” Hanzo’s phone chimes and he immediately goes back to typing. “Elio’s jealous and I’m not... loose like you are.”

Genji sits back. “Loose?”

“Genji...”

The younger Shimada shakes his head. “No— I’m loose Hanzo?”

“Genji, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have—”

“No, fuck off!” Genji stands and points down at him. Hanzo flinches, hard. That was... different, but Genji is too angry to pay it any mind. “I’m not loose! I was just relaying a message, but do not worry. I’ll make sure everyone knows it’s not their fault. No. It’s just you. Go fuck off with your shitty boyfriend.”

Hanzo just stares up at him. His phone chimes again. He closes his eyes, takes a deep breath, and opens the notification. He nods and looks back up at his brother.

“Elio will be here in five minutes. I will wait outside.” Genji watches his brother get up, tie his hair up, and gather his things.

As he leaves, Genji thinks he sees a bruise, just a little too big just to be a hickey peaking from underneath his collar. He almost says something, but his brother is out the door with a quick ‘goodnight’ under his breath.

Genji does keep watch through the window though. Hanzo waits outside until that blue car pulls up and then steps into the passenger side gingerly. 

The car speeds right off.


	3. A Little Teapot

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> If it happened on a weekend, he’d be able to recover come Monday.
> 
> But Hanzo never knows when it’s coming. He never knows when it’s going to happen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Major Chapter Warning: physical abuse, vomiting, (consenting) sexual content
> 
> Thanks again for your comments. It encourages me and I honestly appreciate your genuine feedback. 
> 
> I wrote this chapter with you guys in mind (instead of doing urgent things like my hair or homework).

It has been a spectacular couple of weeks.

Elio has been an amazing help around the house while he was home searching for a new job. There was a promising advertisement for bank telling in the newspaper. He has the interview coming up shortly.

The house has never been cleaner. Elio says he loves that Hanzo has a habit of taking off his shoes before entering the house. The window sparkles, the house always smells like Pine-Sol. It’s like he’s the perfect house husband. He blushes when Hanzo tells him as such.

Elio’s cooking is legendary. It’s foreign food to Hanzo, but stuffed mushrooms and artichoke with glazed ham is something wonderful to come home to.

Elio is perfect. Everything has been perfect. 

Too perfect. 

The interview falls through. The oven breaks.

Hanzo can feel the tension building.

Elio is upstairs napping. Hanzo is lending a hand folding clothes. Saturday’s are laundry days.

Hanzo stares down at the plush towels they use after long soaks in the bath. Would it be easier... 

Wouldn’t it be easier if... Hanzo runs his fingers through the fabric. This towel is baby blue. It matches their bathroom.

Wouldn’t it be easier if... Hanzo was prepared for the next time? The next time it happens?

This way he’d know it was coming. He could plan it out.

If it happened on a weekend, he’d be able to recover come Monday.

Hanzo grips the towel tightly. He looks at the hand towels. Folded in threes. He looks at the ones in the basket.

And begins folding them in quarters. One fold lengthwise in half. Another widthwise.

He continues this way. He puts them in the closet.

He’s ready this time.

Elio cooks them a casserole. Hanzo hates all casseroles except Elio’s. Normally he likes his food separated, but Elio is like magic. As they eat, Hanzo is telling him about the latest episode of Smothered. He got hooked after leaving the TV on after 90 Day: The Other Way (he doesn’t tell him about how that episode of 90 Day was lonely to watch without his brother).

“Do you ever just... shut up?” Elio snaps.

Hanzo stops. “Sorry, anata.” He picks at his food, scooping up another bite full of peas and mashed potatoes. Truly delicious.

He takes a deep breath after a beat of silence.

“Hey... Ellie...”

“What.”

“Do you... want to take a bath after dinner?”

“Why.”

Hanzo runs his fingers down his boyfriend’s side. “I like this shirt on you. I was just thinking... It would probably be good for you to relax.”

“Hm.”

“And it is a Saturday... It is a good day to de-stress.”

Elio takes a sullen bite of his dinner. “Okay. That’s a good idea, I guess.”

Hanzo smiles. He’s ready.

They finish eating, Elio washes the dishes, Hanzo dries.

Hanzo asks Elio to gather their nightwear while Hanzo lights some candles.

Elio steps in and places their stuff on the sink.

“Hanzo, lovely, can you grab some towels.”

“Of course.”

Hanzo can do that. Hanzo can do this. He’s ready. 

Hanzo tries not to let his hands shake while he opens the closet. He grabs one of the blue ones from this morning.

He places it next to the sink. He sees the exact moment that Elio sees it.

His cheeks go ruddy, his eyes dart to Hanzo.

“What _fresh fuck_ is this.”

Hanzo pretends to be confused. “Hu—I’m sorry? It is a towel.”

Elio throws it at him. “I know what the damn thing is! Why is it folded like that!?”

Hanzo catches it, draws his shoulders up. “What—?”

“In FOURS idiot! WHY are the fucking towels in FOURS?! Are...” Elio points to the closet. “Are the rest of them like that?”

“I’m sorry I must have forgotten...”

Elio stalks over to the closet. There they are. Six other blue plush towels, all folded the way he just hates.

“You’re such a fucking idiot Hanzo. You never fucking listen. I swear to God, I’m this fucking close...” He reaches into the closet and throws them all out. “Fold them again! Do it right this time, Jesus Hanzo you... you can’t be this stupid.”

Hanzo tries to steady his breathing. Elio hasn’t... hit him yet. He’s gotta step it it up a notch.

This will have him in for a pounding but...

“Now!” Elio stomps.

Hanzo scrambles and picks up one of the piles of towels on the floor. He hesitates only a second and... 

He folds it lengthwise. Elio snatches it from him.

“You can’t be fucking serious right now.” 

Elio unfolds it and throws it back at Hanzo. He stalks back over and pushes at his shoulder. 

“Are you doing this on purpose?”

“What?!”

“No... That can’t be it. You’re literally too fucking dumb to do something like that, to do anything, let alone fold a fucking towel right. How the _hell_ do you still have a job?!”

“I don’t.. I don’t know.” Hanzo’s choking up.

“Fold it again. Watch me! Hey! Watch me! Like-like-like this. This.” Elio sarcastically folds it the way he likes. “Like... this.”

Hanzo reaches down and folds the towel, tears marking stripes down the sides of his face now. He does it right, widthwise and then lengthwise in three.

“This way?” He asks timidly.

Elio punches him in the gut. Hanzo drops to his knees, stomach lurching so bad that that he has to cover his mouth. Elio scoffs and rolls his eyes.

“You’re so dramatic,” he mutters. He lifts the toilet seat and roughly pulls Hanzo toward the toilet so he can vomit without ruining the freshly washed towels. Hanzo finishes, spits, and dissolves into wet sobs over the bowl.

“While you’re down there, you can finish with the rest of the towels.”

Hanzo nods as he tries to stand. Elio uses his foot to stomp him back down onto the floor. 

“ _While you’re down there,_ you can finish with the rest of the towels. No need to stand up.”

“Sorry.”

As soon as Elio lifts his foot Hanzo crawls over to the pile of unfolded towel and gets to work.

Elio returns a short time later— Hanzo didn’t even realize he’d left— as he’s folding the last two. Elio sets the bubble bar Hanzo got him from Lush on the side of the tub and draws a bath. He shaves off one corner into the water, stands, and pads over to where Hanzo has stacked the towels. He grabs two of them and puts the rest of them up where they belong. He flushes the toilet and closes the seat.

“Sit right here, Lovely.”

Hanzo’s still sobbing, softly, but does as he’s told.

Elio grabs Hanzo’s tooth brush and puts a dollop of toothpaste on the bristles. He turns towards Hanzo with the cup he’d brought from the kitchen and hands it to him. Hanzo lets him brush his teeth for him, using the cup to spit into. When they’re done, Elio takes the cup and rinses it and the tooth brush.

Elio undresses Hanzo and leads him into the tub. He undresses as well, and sits right behind him. The water is steaming when he tells Hanzo to shut it off. Elio takes a rag, rubs it against Hanzo’s oatmeal soap to work into a lather, and runs it across Hanzo’s shoulders.

Hanzo’s sobs have slowed. He stares at the heavily sudded water he’s in.

It’s over now. They sit in silence as Elio bathes him.

“Hey...”

Hanzo turns his ear towards him as Elio begins to speak.

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay,” Hanzo slurs.

Elio grabs the shampoo and tilts Hanzo’s head back.

“You know I’m only like that because I like things a certain way. It frustrates me when you don’t listen.”

“I know. I’m sorry.”

Elio washes and conditions his hair. He cups his hands in the water to wash out the product. He instructs Hanzo to turn around in his lap so he can wash his face. His eyes are puffy and his cheeks are tear stained. Elio places a hand on his cheek. Hanzo flinches.

“Calm down. I’m taking care of you.”

They finish their bath, dry off with their freshly folded towels, and dress for bed.

Elio held him tightly to his chest as they slept.

The next week is a really good one.

Even though Elio’s next interview was rejected, taking him out to dinner and a movie was all he needed. Elio is a huge movie buff and Hanzo loved listening to him complain about the directing and the plot holes the entire drive home. 

The week after that is even better. Hanzo takes him out to a picnic.

Elio made stove-top shepherd’s pie in the cast iron pan. Hanzo made miso soup and fruit sandwiches.

“It is a lovely day. Usually this time of year in Hanamura, we get a lot of cloudy weather.”

Elio leans into Hanzo’s chest. “It’s a perfect day, perfect like you.”

“Ellie...” Hanzo can’t help but blush.

“You’re so perfect Hanzo. Everything about you is so good... I mean, except when you don’t listen and maybe your nose but, hey,” Elio laughs. “God had to go easy on something.”

Hanzo laughs too. “So it seems.”

They spend time people watching and talking about their favorite binge at the moment. Right now it’s Glee. 

“These are actually really refreshing,” Elio says, as he takes a bite out of a strawberry sandwich.

“I told you.”

They go home, and Elio is... frisky.

He’s really into Hanzo’s hair, he takes out the ponytail to run his fingers through it. He takes Hanzo’s hand and gives him kisses on his knuckles before dancing away into their bedroom. Hanzo’s face is so red. He can’t help but to follow him. 

These are the days Hanzo lives for.

The sex was amazing.

Elio pushes him down against the mattress, giggling as he undresses himself in Hanzo’s lap. The Shimada is dumbstruck, eyes sparkling as his boyfriend strips. He can’t help himself, he runs his hands across the ruddy skin, thumbs at the dusky pink nipples. 

“You’re my Prince Charming,” Hanzo murmurs.

Elio laughs, kisses him.

“You’re not half bad yourself.”

Elio manages to undress Hanzo too, settles over him, armed with lube. He casts the bottle aside and buries his head into Hanzo’s neck.

“I love you, you know.”

Hanzo nods. “I love you too, Ellie.”

Elio bites at his neck. “I love you so much.”

Hanzo moans, “Uh,” and reaches for the bottle beside them. He gives it a good squeeze into Elio’s hand so he can hold them both. “E-Elio,” he stutters. Elio stars to stroke them together.

“I love you... like I’ve never loved before.”

“U-uhn...”

Elio bites harder onto his chest, quickly soothing with kisses. Hanzo bucks up into his grip. Elio grinds down in return.

“I love you... more than anyone else.”

“Anata.”

“I love you. I love you, I love you, I love you.”

Hanzo shudders, he fights back tears. He wraps his arms around his boyfriend’s neck, frantically pressing kisses into his forehead.

“I love you! No one else loves you like I do.”

Hanzo gasps as Elio lets go of himself just to stroke Hanzo. He twists his wrist to get that friction he knows Hanzo likes. Hanzo tries to arch into his touch, but Elio brushes his own hair out of the way and uses the same hand to hold him down for better vantage. His hand skirts over the bruise on his stomach. It has long since yellowed.

“Only I love you like this. I love you, Hanzo. I love you. I love you!”

Hanzo finishes silently at the declaration; a voiceless scream, eyes shut and mouth open. Elio coos, still stroking him as he comes down. He relaxes after a moment, skin still tingling from his orgasm.

Elio giggles into his shoulder. Hanzo tries to catch his breath, his breathing turning into bubbly laughter too.

“You’re so adorable, Hanzo.”

Hanzo hums and presses a kiss to his shoulder.

“Did you finish?”

Elio looks down at himself. “No, ha, I guess not.”

Hanzo gently pushes at Elio’s shoulder to flip them over.

“Lovely?”

“Let me take care of you, too.”

Hanzo kisses down his boyfriend’s neck, chest, stomach; all the way down to the golden thatch of curls there. Elio runs his hands through Hanzo’s hair as he blows him into oblivion.

Hanzo loved this.

He loved sleeping with Elio, both metaphorically and literally, especially in succession. He doesn’t care the order.

They sleep well, tangled in each other.

The week after that is pretty tame. Nothing too spectacular to speak of, but nothing happens. It doesn’t happen. The hickies on his neck and chest last throughout the week, and Hanzo loves them. He pokes at the bruises and they remind him of everything his Prince Charming said to him while they were in bed together. 

The week after _that_ though, is like walking on eggshells. 

Elio is snappish. Another interview was a bust. The oven was fixed at this point, but the bill was a pain.

Hanzo can feel it building, once again.

It’s a Friday. Hanzo cooks this evening, chicken katsu and fried rice. It’s one of Elio’s favorite meals that Hanzo cooks, but even that didn’t seem to cheer him up.

Hanzo plates Elio’s serving, lots of katsu and lots of carrot in the rice and puts it on the table. Hanzo starts making his own plate. He stops himself, stares at the rice already on his plate.

He can be ready. 

Elio is in the bathroom, washing his hands before dinner.

Hanzo can have a whole weekend of recovery this time. Dinner might be awkward but... this weekend can be spectacular, if Hanzo just... goes for it. His grip on the dish wavers. It’s ceramic. It’s cool against his fingers.

He can be ready for it this time. Just like he was last time it happened. 

He hears the faucet turn off and the bathroom door close.

Yeah, Hanzo thinks to himself. It’s better when he knows it’s coming. When he’s ready. 

Hanzo braces himself and drops the plate.


	4. Let Simmer Uncovered

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Angela is shadowing again this week, following the two other interns as they all chase after Dr. Amari. 
> 
> They’re stopped right now in the lobby, and Angela takes a moment to breathe and look down at her notes. She turns her head to the sound of someone drawing open a curtain, and—
> 
> Wait, why is Genji’s brother here?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No major chapter warnings today. Nothing too exciting, nothing too wild. Comparatively. We all need a break from that last chapter.
> 
> Thank you all again for the comments. Some days are bad days but wow, do you guys cheer me up :,) There’s not a lot of you who comment, but it’s more than I’ve ever had and when I write I think of y’all.
> 
> Also, happy Juneteenth!! < 3

Angela is shadowing again this week, following the two other interns as they all chase after Dr. Amari. She had a calm energy, she was quiet for long periods of time before she spoke, but will suddenly leave the room without warning whenever she feels. If you aren’t watching, it can be easy for her to leave you behind. All and all, a very difficult mentor to follow.

They’re stopped right now in the lobby, the doctor is looking at the upcoming surgeries. Angela takes a moment to breathe and look down at her notes. She looks up at the rooms across from herself, alert to see if anyone needs help. She turns her head to the sound of someone drawing open a curtain, and—

Wait, why is Genji’s brother here?

“Um, Doctor?”

“Yes, Ziegler.”

“I think I see someone in one of the outpatient rooms that need help. It’s not urgent but...”

Doctor Amari thinks for a beat. She nods. “Go. I am heading to cardiology. Please hurry, I do not plan to stay there for long.”

Angela thanks her and rushes off into the room Hanzo’s in. 

The first thing she’d noticed from his profile is his how... gorgeous he looks with all of his hair down. God he’s like a model, it really isn’t fair. He and Genji really struck it rich with the whole gene pool lottery. She wonders what their parents look like. 

When he notices she’s there, he turns to look at her. Without his hair obscuring his face, she could see the heavy bruising under his eyes. They were really dark, especially against the stark white of the bandage across his nose. 

“Oh... Angela, yes? I didn’t know you worked here. Well,” Hanzo offers a pleasant smile. He sounded tired and groggy, like he’d just woke up. “I didn’t even know I was in a hospital until now.”

“Oh, Hanzo... what happened?”

Hanzo bites his lip. His hands tighter against the rail of the gurney. He looked ashamed at whatever he was going to say next.

Instead his doctor comes in, with Hanzo’s boyfriend in tow.

“Lovely! Oh, thank God you’re up. I was so worried!”

As his boyfriend frets over Hanzo, she pulls out her phone to shoot a quick text to Genji.

angel baby <3 : Have you heard from your brother lately?

She puts her phone back in her pocket as she steps beside the doctor. She wordlessly begins handing him everything as he asks for it while he checks Hanzo’s vitals. She sanitizes his stethoscope while he explains that, now that Hanzo is up he’ll be allowed a moment to orient himself. Then, when the room is prepped, he’ll get an X-ray and a couple of scans to make sure everything is okay in his noggin. If he passed out from a blow to the face, then they have to make sure there’s no fractures or dormant brain injury. He asks if they have any questions as Angela hands the doctor his stethoscope and washes her hands. 

Angela’s phone buzzes rapidly. 

Ninja Dong >;D: ugh no  
Ninja Dong >;D: tht doofus can go fuk off and dye  
Ninja Dong >;D: im ovr tht bish  
angel baby < 3: He’s at my hospital. 

She looks up for a moment when her phone buzzes again.

Ninja Dong >;D: JESUS CHRIST ANGELA!!!1!!  
Ninja Dong >;D: LEAD WITH THAT NEXT TIME

She laughs to herself once. Genji is so ridiculous sometimes. 

The doctor rushes past her, and oh my, she has to run to cardiology. Whatever she wants to say, she has to say it now.

She looks at the couple, Hanzo with his eyes still low and Elio’s piercing grey ones hard on her. 

“Yes, before we got interrupted, I was asking something... Oh, right!” She snaps as she remembers. “It’s no good to be here outside of a check up, Hanzo. What happened? You passed out?”

“I don’t... quite remember,” Hanzo says softly. Elio glances a him. He lets out a snort, suddenly.

“Oh, pfft, he bumped into one of our cabinets. The clutz left one open while he was cooking and when he turned back, he ran—smack!— right into it.” Elio rubs his boyfriend’s shoulder. Hanzo watches him explain the whole thing. “It’s funny now that he’s okay. Just a couple of tests and we can go home. Yeah, Lovely?”

Hanzo blinks at Elio, as if he’s calculating something. After a beat he lifts his hand to his own nose, running his fingers across the bandage there.

“Yes. Honestly... we should get rid of them, especially when the doors are so heavy. Did it really... break my nose?”

“It made you pass out, too? Hanzo...” Angela looks at him seriously. “Are you okay?”

Hanzo looks back at her, thinking hard. Elio frowns and answers for him. “He may be a little slow right now. He just came to. Hanzo’s okay.”

Angela’s pager goes off.

“Well... Be well, Hanzo,” she says. “It was still nice to see you, even though it had to be here.”

He gives her a timid wave back as she scurries off.

Genji parks haphazardly in the front lot of the Emergency room. He really should go easier on this car, it had a pension for breaking down and it’s their only one. He and Angie like to take the subway instead anyways. It’s easier than the afternoon traffic and environmentally conscious. 

He rushes out into the lobby and... there’s Hanzo’s boyfriend, waiting in one of the nasty plastic chairs in the waiting room. Genji figures that it’ll be easier to ask him instead of the tired-looking receptionist. He walks right over. 

“Elio?”

“Oh! Genji. Did... Hanzo message you?”

Genji shakes his head. “No, my girlfriend works here and saw him here— I-is he okay?”

Elio nods. “Yeah. He just... broke his nose running into a cabinet. Knocked him right out.”

Genji blanches. “What?! He broke his nose?!”

Elio huffs. “Yeah, the clutz. He’s going through some testing and scans right now, but he should be okay.” He flashes him a bright smile. “Don’t worry, come. Sit next to me. He should be done soon.” 

Elio pats the armrest next to himself. Genji can’t help but to relax. His voice was so soothing and so reassuring— Genji can see why Hanzo likes him so much. He takes a seat next to him. Elio smiles brighter and goes back to his phone.

“So he’s up already?”

“Yeah, he was awake when I last saw him. I—I was worried. He really... hurt himself this time.” 

Genji frowns. “Hm.”

The doctor eventually calls for Elio, and Genji tags along.

Hanzo is back in the outpatient room, the doctor says he will be back shortly with the results and to do another once over. Hanzo’s not looking any better, in fact, he actually looks a little more tired. He looks up when they walk in, and brightens instantly when he sees his brother.

“Genji?”

“Anija!”

Genji rushes over and kneels by his brother’s bed. The gesture of respect of the posture does not go over Hanzo’s head. Genji wraps his arms around his brother’s waist, tightly. Hanzo pats his arm and tells him to rise, pestering him about the floor, ‘it’s dirty.’

Genji instead pulls a chair towards Hanzo’s side.

“Angela told me you were here. I was so worried about you.”

Hanzo smiles softly at him. “Do not worry. I am just fine.”

“You are? Your nose is broken.”

“Yes.”

“...Did it hurt when they reset it?”

Hanzo laughs. “So bad. I’m worried it will be crooked now.”

Elio pipes up from where he leans against the wall. “It was already crooked, Lovely. This will probably help make it straighter.”

Genji’s head whips to Elio, a sharp glare from his deep brown eyes.

He was speaking English out of courtesy of his company, but now he didn’t feel like he should continue to extend it. He switches to Japanese. 

“I did not like that. It was very rude.”

Hanzo pats his arm. “It is a... joke between us.”

Genji huffs. “If you say so.” He’s silent for a beat, and then still in Japanese, “Did you really run into a cabinet? I can’t imagine passing out from just that.”

Hanzo blinks at him. He looks up at Elio, who’s obviously upset at being excluded from the conversation. 

“Just the cabinet, Genji. It was a freak accident.”

Genji takes off his headband to run his hands through his hair in worry, but he seems convinced enough. They’re silent for a moment longer, Genji resting his head on his brother’s shoulder. Hanzo can feel his lip quiver. 

“I’m sorry!” He blurts. Genji looks up suddenly. 

“What?”

“For our fight last month! I shouldn’t— I shouldn’t have said that to you, I should have apologized sooner, I— I miss you! I am sorry.”

Genji blinks. “Anija.” Then he snickers. Then he bursts into laughter. Hanzo furrows his brows.

“I’m being serious.”

“I know! That’s what makes you so funny. Look,” Genji takes a breath and gives him a gentle smile. “I’m sorry too. You were kind of right— outside of this relationship with Angel, I’m a huge fucking whore.”

“Genji! Language.”

“Whatever! I thought... I thought you were in real trouble when Angela texted me. We have no room for grudges. Now.” He switches back to English. “Tell me your thoughts about last week’s episode of Smothered.”

“The Italians are scripted.”

Genji squawks. “You think all of its scripted!”

“Yes, but they’re really scripted.”

They go back and forth about how real is reality television until the doctor comes back in.

“Hi there Mr. Shimada. Is that your brother? He looks a bit like you.”

Genji touches his own undereye circles. “That bad huh? I shouldn’t stay up so much, you’re right.”

Hanzo swats at him. Genjis snickers. The doctor chuckles. 

“Alright. Hanzo, you just have a slight concussion, but scans say you should be just fine. In fact, I’m half convinced that you passed out from stress more than from the injury... Take it easy for the next couple of days. Stay home. I’m sure your boyfriend and your brother will take care of you. They seem to care about you very much.”

Hanzo hums. Stay home. Hanzo grips Genji’s hand. Genji squeezes back. 

“Of course. Thank you.” 

“No problem. Okay, right quick, I’m going to give you another looksee to make sure you’re eyes still are okay. Then you’re free to go.”

After the doctor sees them out, Genji offers to drive them home since they came by ambulance. They accept. Hanzo reaches for the passenger side door, but Elio stops him. 

“I don’t want to sit in the back by myself.”

Genji rolls his eyes and gets in the driver’s seat. Elio glares. Hanzo just concedes and sits in the back with his boyfriend. Elio clings to his arm while the brothers catch up on the things they’d done on their own this past month. 

Genji drops them off in front of their house. 

“Get well soon, Hanzo!” Genji shouts through the car window. 

Hanzo waves him off and couple makes their way inside.

“What were you guys talking about,” Elio asks, almost immediately. 

Hanzo looks up at him. He was doing that voice where he was trying not to go into an instant fit of rage. Tread lightly, Hanzo. 

“I apologized to him. He told me we should not have even started that fight in the first place, and that he was sorry too.”

Elio squints. “You didn’t tell him.”

Hanzo shakes his head. “I did not.”

“And you didn’t tell the nurse?”

“I barely know her.”

Elio huffs and walks into the kitchen. “Do you need anything, Lovely?” He peaks back at Hanzo for a moment, points at the couch. “Sit! You need rest.”

Hanzo nods again and does as he’s told. 

“Do you need anything,” Elio repeats. 

“A snack please. Can I get a bowl of cereal?”

“Of course, Lovely.”

Elio returns with two bowls of cereal. Apple Jacks for Hanzo and Honey Smacks for himself. They chat about Hanzo’s obsession with Apple Jacks for a bit. He’d tried them in one of the 1 serving bowls that an airline had in one of the American convenience groceries. It was a business trip his father had taken him on, for experience, and he was starving after the eleven hour flight. That cereal was so good. On the flight back Hanzo bought as many as he could, and when he moved here permanently— sure, he had been disowned by his father and was on the hunt for his estranged brother who, no doubt, was still upset at him for what he’d done. He was still excited for the Apple Jacks.

This time, though, it was the coolness of the milk that was doing him some good.

“Elio?”

“Yeah?”

“Can I also get some ice please?”

Elio scoffs and takes another bite. “What do you need ice for?”

Hanzo furrows his brows and points at the cast on his face. “My nose hurts.”

“Just let it heal on its own, it’s not even that bad.”

Hanzo was confused. “We were just at the hospital.”

Elio downs the milk in his bowl, but doesn’t respond. 

“Elio.”

“What?”

Hanzo just looks at him. Elio rolls his eyes. 

“You’re so dramatic. What do you want me to do? The doctor said you’re fine, so leave it alone. It’s not like it’s my fault.”

Hanzo has to take a moment.

“You... broke my nose, Ellie,” he says, softly. 

“No— you ran into a cabinet!” Elio snaps. “The sooner as you get that through that dumb brain of yours, the better. They’re gonna take you away from me, you get that?! I couldn’t stand it if they took you away from me. I can’t be without you.” Elio points at him. “You ran into a cabinet. You broke your nose.”

Hanzo takes a shakey breath. He’s been on the brink of tears almost constantly lately, he feels. His head hurt. His face hurts. The doctor did say he should take it easy. 

He does and just lets a couple of tears fall. Just a couple. The bandage could get wet and he doesn’t want to have to replace it so soon. 

“... Hanzo?”

Hanzo sniffs and wipes at his face, careful around his cheeks and the cast. The bruises from the break are so sore. The sniffing hurt, too. It put the taste of blood back in his mouth. 

He stands up. 

“I am fine with out the ice,” he starts. Elio tries to get up too, the anger quickly dissolving into concern. It looks like he wasn’t expecting Hanzo to just surrender like that. Hanzo just waves him to sit back down. “I am fine. I am just... going to get some rest, upstairs.”

As Hanzo leaves the living room, Elio tries to call after him, “Hanzo, Lovely, wait—”

But Hanzo just goes upstairs without him. He was tired. 

Hanzo was so tired.


	5. A Wooden Spoon on Top

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “We really should do this more often. I missed this.”
> 
> Hanzo sips at his water. “I missed this, too.”
> 
> Jesse glances at him. “There’s this place that does crab legs. My treat?”
> 
> Hanzo sighs. “Elio would throw a fit if he knew I was with you just for lunch. He feels that we are too close.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this one was so late today! I had an essay yesterday and I fell asleep as I was editing this chapter.
> 
> I’m trying my hardest to update daily. Im so glad I was able to finish this before evening, though.
> 
> As always thanks for commenting. You guys are so sweet.
> 
> No major chapter warnings today.

Hanzo walks into work the next week, just short of exhausted. 

Elio wasn’t too bad after their impromptu hospital visit, and Hanzo didn’t feel any tension. But he didn’t feel the tension before... he ran into the cabinet, either. 

Hanzo wasn’t ready for that one. He could be missing the signs for the next time, too. 

Either way, Hanzo was kind of glad to be back. His face was still too sore for make up, but it probably wouldn’t have covered up much anyways—he was good, but Hanzo wasn’t a professional. 

The bruises were still way too dark, and though they were starting to look better, he was getting stares. He was their superior, though, so no one dared say anything. He was lucky Amélie was a gone this month with advertising. She was the best one the line, so of course she had to go with them to Sochi. The company was planning on partnering with another in Russia. 

All of this in mind, he should expect not a word about his face. 

“Woah! That’s a look.”

So much for that. 

Hanzo looks up from his typing. It’s Jesse. That’s just what he needs. He only levels a vicious look at the courier. It is, in fact, amplified by the broken nose. Jesse flinches. 

“Sorry.”

Hanzo just goes back to typing. Jesse leans against Hanzo’s cubicle wall. It was one of the bigger cubicles on the floor, y’all and open. 

“I mean, Genji told me what happened, so when Mako told me he saw you come in this morning I wanted t’ check up on you... Didn’t know it was that bad, though.”

Hanzo huffs.

“Are you okay?”

Why does everyone feel the need to ask him that?

“I’m fine.”

“Well... you look kinda badass.”

Hanzo stops typing again. His shoulders start to shake, he has to cover his mouth. Jesse raises his hands instantly. 

“I didn’t mean no harm! Jeez, the first time manage to flag you down in ages and I manage to...”

Hanzo erupts into full-on laughter— deep, bubbly, and unrestrained. 

“I’ve...” he laughs once again, “I have never had anyone describe it like that.”

Jesse smiles tentatively. “No...? I mean, I just—”

Hanzo smile turns soft. “You say what you think. It is refreshing. You did not offend me, Jesse.”

Jesse drops his shoulders. “Okay... I’m glad.”

“It has been a while since we last spoke.”

Jesse nods. “Yeah...”

Hanzo turns himself in his chair to face him. “For that, I am sorry. I just...”

Jesse waves him off. “Nah, don’t worry about it. Genji told me about that too. I get it. You gotta do what keeps the house happy, right?”

Hanzo thinks that Jesse is more right than he knows. 

“Hey Jesse... what are you doing for lunch?”

Jesse brightens up. “Oh! Uh, I’ve got nothing planned— did ya have anything in mind? There’s this place up road that’s like Cracker Barrel, except it’s actually good, there’s a little spot that’s kinda upity but I know that’s what you’re into— there’s a spot that serves kimchi? I know someone who works there. It’s really good, I hear it’s good for the stomach, but so is kombucha, and that shits terrible.”

“Agreed.”

“There’s an Arby’s—gross— but next to it is a Panera and a Starbucks and a deli...”

“I was planning on going to this bakery that does specialty sandwiches and cake sets.”

Jesse nods. If he had a tail, it’d be wagging. 

“Good,” Hanzo nods back. “I’m planning to leave at 11:50. Come back then.”

They take Jesse’s car to the bakery. Jesse tells Hanzo what he wants so Hanzo can order while Jesse snags one of the tables outside. Jesse got a turkey, ham, tomato, and cheddar on rye. Hanzo got a tomato basil chicken panini. He also ordered a mini chocolate ganache cake set. 

Jesse is hoping that if he asks very nicely, Hanzo will share. Based on previous experience, probably not. Well, maybe a little. 

They had a lot of catching up to do. 

Jesse tells him about how Jack broke up with Gabriel (“again?!”) and how he tried to get Jesse back. 

“That was a no from me, boss.”

“I admire your resolve. A weaker man would have taken the bait.”

“Well to be perfectly honest, I’ve been feeling kinda weak myself, lately. It was... really, really good dick.”

“Jesse!”

The cowboy laughs. “I’m only telling you the truth!”

Hanzo gushes about the picnic he and Elio went on last month. 

“It was so romantic. We did nothing but spent time with one another. He made the main dish of our lunch that day— when he cooks it is almost magic.”

“That good huh? I might have to steal him away, then.”

“No.”

Jesse laughs at how fast the response was. “Fine, fine. He sounds like a good guy.”

“He can be.”

Jesse’s eye brow ticks at that. “...Angela told me that he went nuts when you were at the hospital. He must really like you, the way she said he freaked out when you came too.”

Hanzo looks away, towards some pigeons poking at a half of sandwich someone must have dropped. It was covered in gravel. Someone must have run it over. “Yes. He was very worried.”

“Did you really pass out?”

“The doctor thought it was from stress. That is why I took last week off. I really just think it was shock from,” Hanzo takes a sip of his water. “From running into the cabinet combined with the pain of the break.” He shrugs. “Whatever. A week off is a week off.” He picks up the second half of the sandwich. 

Jesse tilts his head. “I thought Genji had mistold the story but— hey, Hanzo?”

Hanzo looks back at him, to show that he’s paying attention to whatever he’s going to say next. 

“Is the house you live in kinda old?”

“No. It was one of the new ones that were built after they tore down a bunch of shopping centers that went out of business. It was a good price. Back when Elio had a job, it was easy to split the payments, but now it is a little more difficult. He recently got accepted for a second interview, though. I think he might get this one.”

Jesse nods. “That’s good...” He sounds like he’s deep in thought. Hanzo takes a couple more bites of his food. 

“I can not wait for a little bit more spending money to go around, I want a new tea pot. I saw a ceramic one at the mall— not the one down town, the cheap one, I am talking about the big one with the Barnes and Nobles. It was blue, and it comes with a beautiful set of cupware—“

“Sorry, but why are y’all’s cabinets so tall?”

“Excuse me?”

“I used to work in carpentry, with my Pa, and when we installed stuff like that, we had to make sure to put em at a certain height? So stuff like, well, breaking your nose on ‘em don’t happen. That and so you could actually get in them.”

Hanzo just stares blankly at him. 

“And sometimes, depending on who’s living in the house, we put ‘em in a bit taller or shorter. But not by much. So even if they installed those for taller folks, you’re not that short. I mean— you’re a shortie, but not that short.”

“Hm.”

“And the wood they use for modern ones are even that thick. They’re strong, sure, but unless it was a two inch thick sheet of metal, it shouldn’t have broken your nose— unless you were running? But even then, the hinges should have let go of the wood— again it’s not that thick.”

Hanzo takes a breath. “It was a freak accident. I do not even remember how it happened. One moment I was conscious and the next moment I was not.”

“Whatever,” Jesse laughs. “My theory is: you’re covering up some sex thing.”

Hanzo’s eyes go wide. “What?! Jess—no!”

“Oh! I bet I got it in one go! That,” Jesse makes a gesture of the general vicinity of Hanzo’s face. “Is a sex injury, my friend. I knows one when I sees one!”

Hanzo crosses his arms and huffs. “Believe what you wish!” It’s better that he thinks that than the truth. 

Jesse quits teasing him, and they share the cake set. Jesse says he has to come back, he liked the one with the strawberries the most. 

They drive back in an excellent mood. A song that plays on the radio all the time comes on, and after they both acknowledge that they both hate it, they immediately burst into song. By the time it’s over, they’re doubled over laughing. 

“This was great. We really.. we really should do this more often. I missed this.”

Hanzo sips at his to-go cup of water. “I missed this, too.”

Jesse glances at him. Only for a moment, he’s still driving. “There’s this place that does crab legs. They have a dinner special. Since you payed for lunch it’ll be my treat?”

Hanzo’s face lights up. “Oh, fuck, crab legs— oh,” then he wilts. “No... I can’t.”

Jesse frowns. “Why... why not?”

Hanzo sighs. “Elio would throw a fit if he knew I was with you just for lunch. He feels that we are too close.”

Jesse gets that. A little jealousy is normal for some relationships. “You can’t explain it to him? You can tell him I’m back with Gabe—”

“ _Don’t._ ”

“God, you sound like your brother.”

“I’m sorry.”

“No, don’t apologize.” Jesse makes a turn. “You two only ever have my best interests in mind.”

“Hm.”

“But, come oooooon. What if it were only every now and again, huh? It won’t be every night, like how it was before you two started dating. Now it’d just be every couple of months. I miss hanging out with you.”

“I do not know, Jesse...” Hanzo takes another sip. 

“You’re so whipped. I mean—” Jesse snickers. “It’s not like he’s gonna beat you up for it.”

The sentence catches Hanzo off guard mid sip. He breaths the water in funny, it goes up his nose and down the wrong pipe— the whole of his face and esophagus hurts. He’s wide-eyed coughing and sputtering, choking on his water.

“Woah there! I wasn’t serious— you’re supposed to— cálmate!” Jesse reaches over to pat his back and waits a bit as Hanzo composes himself. It takes a bit, but as Hanzo calms down, his breaths are shakey and ragged. Jesse takes the whole of the reaction in. “Wait— does he?”

The joke is: Jesse says something severely outrageous and entirely out of pocket, the other person vehemently denies it, and Jesse turns it into a sex thing. That’s how it goes. That’s the joke. Everyone in their social group that knows Jesse knows the set up. 

So when Hanzo looks up, teary eyed from coughing in his arm, and doesn’t say a thing... Jesse realizes he’s right on the money. “...Does he?”

Hanzo drops his arm, lip quivering, and nods.

Jesse pulls over immediately. Fuck turn signals. They’re right around the corner to the complex, yeah, but this couldn’t wait. 

Hanzo’s suddenly a mess of tears, his face buried in his palms. He’s sobbing quietly, Jesse didn’t even know until he stopped the engine. 

“Hanzo...”

Hanzo doesn’t look up. Jesse just rubs hand across his back.

“It wasn’t the cabinet.”

Duh.

Jesse figured as much. He knew as soon as Genji told him, he though the story just got muddled through social gossip telephone. He knows better than to call it out right now.

“No?”

“No. I... I asked him to turn the volume down, because I got an-an email about expense reports.” Hanzo takes a rattlely breath. “I needed to make a call about it overseas. He...” Hanzo looks up to rest his hand on his cheek so he tell the story better. “He got upset with me. I talk too much about my job and... he thought I was rubbing it in his face that he can’t get one right now.” He sniffs. “I couldn’t get him to calm down, and th-then he punched me. It wa-as way harder than be-fore. He’d never,” Hanzo’s breath picks up again. He draws his knees up over his chest over the seat belt. 

“He-he had n-ne-ever hi-it me like tha-at be-for-ore—” Hanzo’s sobbing is loud now. “Sometimes he— sometimes it’s ba-ad, but it’s nev-er be-en thi-i-is bad!” 

Hanzo buries his head into his knees and does what he hadn’t had a chance to in ages.

He just cries. He cries and cries and cries. 

He’s never had the moment to be upset about it. It was cathartic. It hurt. His nose throbbed underneath the cast.

“Sweet pea...” Jesse murmurs. 

Jesse looks at Hanzo and sees his mother. Before his stepfather, the one that taught him enough carpentry to get him into this mess, was one of his mother’s boyfriend’s. After his biological father’s death, she’d gone through many suitors, the longest being the one who’d beat her relentlessly. The only was they got him out of the house was when he’d first lay a hand on Jesse— that was the final straw for her. He was gone by morning, simple as that. 

But right now, suddenly he’s 11 again, with no knowledge of how to make any of this better. No idea of how to fix this. 

He’s running through his options. What does he do? Who does he tell—

Hanzo’s head snaps up. His sobbing is put on hold for now. 

“No. You can not tell anybody.”

Did Jesse really say that out loud...? Whatever. 

“I mean, I have to at least tell your brother—”

“No! Especially not Genji,” Hanzo grips at the fabric of Jesse’s work shirt desperately. “You must not tell a single soul— not now, not ever.”

Jesse stares at him for a moment before just throwing his hands up into the air. “Well— shit, Hanzo! What do you want me to do?!”

“Nothing!” Hanzo’s lip starts to shake again. He hates how little control he has over his emotions right now. “Do... nothing. Please. It is...” Hanzo chokes back a sob. “It is the best thing y-you can do for me right now.”

Jesse grits his teeth. He hates this. He hates this. He hates how powerless he is in this. But, for Hanzo...

“...Fine.”

Hanzo sits back.

“But know this,” Jesse starts up again. “As soon as it gets to be too much, you come to me! You hear me? Don’t deal with this alone anymore.”

Hanzo’s eyes waver. “Okay.”

“I’m serious, Hanzo.”

“...Yes,” Hanzo nods decidedly. 

“Okay.”

Jesse reaches over to wipe the last of his tears. Hanzo flinches. Ah. So when Amélie said he was jumpy— was this what she meant?

Too many things made sense now.

“Okay,” Jesse repeats. He turns back to the wheel and sees the clock on the dashboard. “We’re late to return back to work. Gabe’s gonna be a real bitch about it.”

“Sorry.”

“Don’t. You’re fine. It’s not your fault.”

Hanzo feels a fresh wave of tears rise up. He didn’t know how good it would feel to hear that. 

He takes a sip of his water to calm himself down. 

Jesse drives them the last three minutes to the office. 

“Okay. Here’re my keys,” Jesse drops them into Hanzo’s hands. “When you feel like you’re pretty enough to go back inside, lock it. I’ll come by your desk in maybe an hour to pick them back up. Is that okay?”

Hanzo nods, grateful. 

“Okay. See you around.”

Before he gets out of the car, Hanzo grabs his arm. “Jesse.”

“Hm? Yeah sugar plum?”

Hanzo missed those. When he started dating Gabriel, Jesse dialed back on the pet names he had for everyone. Looks like they’re back, for now. 

“... Thank you.”

Jesse just smiles at him and places his hand on the top of Hanzo’s head. 

“No problem.”


	6. Fine as Frog Hair

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I am fine. I just want to go with you and watch trash television. That would be the best thing for me right now.”
> 
> “And a face mask?”
> 
> “Definitely a face mask.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Warning: dub-con
> 
> Sorry about not updating yesterday. It was Father’s Day and my mom and I spent a lot of it cooking for my Dad.
> 
> I also had to do a little bit of thinking about the direction of this fic.
> 
> I wrote what I wanted for the beginning, and then I know what I want for the end. But how do I bridge the gap? With shitty filler chapters like these. I don’t like this one, and I hope this is the worst one for the story.
> 
> As always, thank you for reading and thank you for commenting! I hope I have a better chapter for you soon.

Hanzo spends the following weeks going through the motions.

It was nice to tell someone to know about... the cabinet, but really, what did that do? It wasn’t anything more than a momentary relief. He couldn’t talk to Jesse all the time. Elio would flip. 

All the experience did was let him acknowledge that the relationship he was in sucked. 

Acknowledging it did get him thinking, though. 

Hanzo believed that, yes, Elio truly loved him and that, yes, he truly loved Elio. But was this what he wanted for the rest of his life? Was he getting everything he was supposed to out of this relationship? 

Besides, Hanzo couldn’t very well just leave Elio. Elio needs Hanzo. He said that he couldn’t live without him. Hanzo doesn’t even sleep over at his brother’s anymore for that reason. 

Leaving Elio would also mean admitting failure.

He would have to tell Genji why they’d broke up. Word would get around about why. Word would spread about how weak Hanzo was. 

How shameful Hanzo was. 

Hanzo is listless. The only times he feels joy are Sundays full of trashy television at his brother’s place and texting Jesse. They text a lot now. 

Nothing pisses Elio off more. 

Elio was attentive this week, he was sweet and affectionate. He made all of Hanzo’s favorite foods. He even asks him about how is days at work are. Hanzo thanks him, he responds politely.

“How do you like the Udon, Lovely?”

Hanzo nods. “It is really good.”

That’s it. No annoying rambling, no endless chatter from Hanzo. 

The week after that, Elio has ramped it up to 11.

He’s doing all of the chores, he buys Hanzo new clothes, he buys Hanzo a new tea pot. He offers to brush Hanzo’s hair, he buys Hanzo a bento box, he tells Hanzo how pretty he is every chance he gets.

Hanzo appears grateful, he smiles when Elio does things for him, maybe gives him a hug.

That’s it. 

None of the outright glee and the watery eyes Hanzo gets when he’s excited for Elio.

That Sunday, Elio pulls out the big guns.

He’s only in the backyard for the entire day. This is what actually concerns Hanzo. After an entire week of just— smothering, smothering, smothering—, Elio retreats into the backyard. 

What could he possibly be doing?

Hanzo can’t stand it by 2pm.

He makes them both lunch, miso and a grilled Swiss cheese sandwich, and steps into their tiny backyard. 

“Elio?”

Elio is on a stool trying to hang curtains of their clothes line. He’s strung up lights, he’d mowed the lawn, he has lanterns out—

It was beautiful.

“Ellie...”

“Hanzo! God damn it! You weren’t supposed to come outside yet!”

“I’m sorry!”

Elio steps down from the ladder he’d grabbed from the shed.

“Well, it’s whatever,” he says as he steps down from his ladder and walks up to Hanzo. “Well? Do you like it Hanzo?”

Hanzo’s smile is the widest it’s been in weeks. “Anata! This looks spectacular.” He throws his arms around his boyfriend and squeezes him tight. Elio melts into it, as if the embrace was a drug to him. “You did not have to do so much, Hanzo murmurs. “Thank you.” 

Hanzo kisses his cheek. Elio beams. 

He and Hanzo take a break to eat lunch before they finish up the back yard theater. Elio had bought a projector and hooked it up to Hanzo’s laptop. They lit the lanterns and citronella candles and took a bunch of their blankets and candles outside. Elio runs inside to pop some popcorn. Hanzo makes iced tea. They put on something comfortable to wear and decide to watch a Lord of the Rings movie marathon. It wasn’t Hanzo’s cup of tea, but that didn’t matter. It was a wonderful evening nonetheless. The elves with the bows and arrows were fun to watch though. 

Half way through the second movie, Elio pulls Hanzo into his lap. Hanzo smiles at him and goes back to watching the movie. Elio starts kissing at his neck. A shiver runs up Hanzo’s spine. Elio lets his hands trail down his boyfriend’s front and into his pants.

“Lovely...” Elio murmurs. 

Hanzo leans back and looks up at him. “Yes?”

“Kiss me?”

Hanzo turns around in his lap and presses their lips together. Elio wraps his arms around Hanzo’s neck.

They kiss lazily as the sky begins to darken. Elio bites his lip. Hanzo runs his fingers through Elio’s curls. His hair was getting long. Hanzo really liked it at this length.

Elio moves from his lips to his cheeks— his under eyes are nearly done yellowing. He kisses his nose, Hanzo flinches. It’s better now, it still hurts if he has to blow his nose, but it didn’t set too badly. The cast held it in place pretty well. Elio snickers at that. 

The blonde makes his way down his neck.

“Elio,” Hanzo’s sighs. Elio smiles into Hanzo’s neck. He moves his hands underneath Hanzo’s t-shirt. He gropes at his chest, brings one hand down and runs one of his hands through Hanzo’s happy trail.

“You need to shave, baby.”

Hanzo tuts and tilts his neck further for Elio to kiss at more. Elio bites at him and starts to unbutton Hanzo’s pants. 

“Elio—” Hanzo starts, his hands flying down to move his boyfriend’s hands. 

“What?”

“I am not... in the mood.”

Elio scoffs. “Okay? Let me get you there then.” He tries to lean back in.

“No, I do not want to do it right now.”

Elio blinks. “Hanzo it’s been a month.”

Hanzo huffs. “I’ve been recovering from a broken nose and a concussion.”

“You’re dramatic.”

“You put me in the hospital.”

“We’ve already had this discussion, Hanzo.”

Hanzo lowers his gaze. Elio takes his face into his hand. Hanzo tries not to flinch this time.

“Hanzo, please... I miss us being just... together like this. Let me have you?” Elio runs his hand up Hanzo’s arm and winks. “It’s been a while since I got a good taste of that tattoo of yours.”

Hanzo sighs. “...Can we do it inside?”

Elio groans and shoves his head back into Hanzo’s neck. “But I want you now.”

“Ellie, no. I don’t want to do it out here. The neighbors might hear.”

“They won’t.”

“It’s indecent!”

Elio rolls his eyes and pushes Hanzo down suddenly. It takes him off guard. Elio pushes his chest insistently. 

“Now. I set all of this up for us. Be grateful.”

This was a good date. It was. 

He hates it when Elio gets like this. Hanzo looks away. 

“Do what you want.”

As soon as they’re finished, Hanzo pulls on his boxers so he can get up from their blanket and walks inside. Elio looks up.

“Where are you going?”

“I need to shower.”

Elio frowns. “You don’t want to cuddle with me?”

Hanzo hesitates. “I... I would love to, Anata. I just feel... sticky.” And gross. And used.

Elio just waves him off and lays back down to watch the rest of the next movie. It was getting dark so it was getting easier to see the projection. 

Hanzo does exactly as he said he wanted. He scrubs and scrubs, but the lingering feeling of misuse remains. He washes his hair, his face, his arms, his legs. 

He doesn’t feel good.

When he steps out of the shower, the mirror is steamed. That’s perfect for him for right now. His phone chimes. The screen of it is fogged up too. He takes his towel and wipes it off before he wraps it around his waist. It’s a message from Jesse. It’s that invite for crab legs again. He also wants to talk about Gabe. Hanzo titters. He doesn’t know how to respond yet.

Hanzo walks into their bedroom. He also has a text from Genji. It’s a picture of a shirt. It’s neon green (of course) tie dye with a black outline of the words “fast bitch” in slime font. 

>Bonhanzo: you should get it.  
>Bonhanzo: its you as a shirt.

Hanzo puts down the phone and starts to get dressed. He only manages to get his underwear on before his phone starts ringing. It’s Genji. Duh. 

“Hai,” Hanzo starts.

“You are so rude.”

“You should greet me back.”

“Hey. I already bought it, you bitch.”

“We are made of the same stuff.”

“So rude.”

“Oh.”

Genji picks up a mocking tone. “ _Oh._ ”

They laugh at each other. Hanzo sighs hard when they stop.

“Hanzo?”

“...Can you come get me? It is almost time for 90 Day and I want to watch it with you.”

“Sure. I really wish you’d have called me earlier. It’s almost on.”

“Thank you.”

They hang up, Hanzo puts on a t-shirt and sweats. He pulls his wet hair into a bun and goes downstairs. Elio on the couch, back in just his boxers and his shirt. Hanzo goes to the door where he has his shoes to put them on.

“Where are you going?”

“To my brother’s apartment.”

“You didn’t tell me this.”

Hanzo looks up at him. “I normally go every Sunday.”

Elio looks up at the ceiling. “Right. That dumb show.”

Hanzo wants to scream. 

His phone chimes. Genji must be here.

“I’ll be back before midnight, of course.”

“Whatever, see you.”

Hanzo walks out into the drive way and into the passenger side of Genji’s shitty car. He gives his brother a mumbled greeting and buckled himself in.

“Your aura is heavy, brother.”

Hanzo hums. Genji leans forwards and into the elder's face.

“Are you okay?”

There’s that damn question again.

Suddenly there’s tears falling, ones he didn’t even know he needed to keep from shedding. Genji turns off the car and puts his hand on his bother’s shoulder. 

“Hanzo? What happened? Why are you crying?”

Hanzo wipes the couple of tears on his face. It didn’t hurt to wipe them away anymore. “Nothing serious. We are just... in the middle of a row. I needed to get out of the house.”

Genji’s look of concern does not fade. 

“I am fine, Genji.”

Genji looks down for a moment, as if he has to think. “I-is there anything I can do? Anija, I...”

Hanzo quickly shakes his head. Hanzo is supposed to be strong here. He should not need to have his brother comforting him. He’s made his brother’s life tough enough already.

“I am fine. I just want to go with you and watch trash television. That would be the best thing for me right now.”

“And a face mask?”

“Definitely a face mask.”

Genji smiles, genuinely, and starts the car back up.

“Sure thing, brother.”


	7. Toading the Line

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gabriel leans on Jesse’s desk.
> 
> “When you’re finished can we go get lunch?”
> 
> “I’m heading out with Hanzo for lunch.”
> 
> Gabriel makes a face. “Hanzo?”
> 
> Jesse scribbles something out on his paper. “Yeah.”
> 
> “...Doesn’t he have a boyfriend?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No chapter warnings today :) just drama. It’s the lightest chapter so far.
> 
> This one is pretty late too, but I may try for every other day for a bit. Bridging the gap between what I have and what I want next is difficult, and I have guests coming very soon, so I have to turn my room from a storage room to my actual room. Wish me luck.
> 
> This chapter was a little fun because the relationship between Gabe and Jesse is like one I had with this guy way back when. It was tough, but whatever. I have a girlfriend now.
> 
> As always thank you for reading!!!! And thanks for commenting <3
> 
> Also? I know Efi is too old comparatively. She’s just too adorable to ignore.
> 
> Translations at the end.

Jesse is filling out the records he needs to do for his last series of deliveries. He’s doing just fine before a shadow begins looming over his shoulder. 

“Hola, Vaquero.”

“Gabriel. Si tienes algo que decirme, hazlo rápido."

“Whatever, Jesse, Yo sé que tú me quieres.”

“ _What, Gabe._ No puedo flirt right now. I have work. Work that _you_ gave me.”

Gabe sighs loudly. Today wasn’t fair. Neither Jesse nor Jack had time for his nonsense. So not fair. 

He leans on Jesse’s desk.

“When you’re finished can we go get lunch?”

“I’m heading out with Hanzo for lunch.”

Gabriel makes a face. “ _Hanzo_?”

Jesse scribbles something out on his paper. “Yeah.”

“...Doesn’t he have a boyfriend?”

“Yeah?”

“Don’t you have a boyfriend?” Gabriel points at himself.

“ _Oh_ I see—” Jesse says, long and drawn out in his accent, nodding along. He doesn’t look up from his work. “Cuando te beneficia, then—I’m your boyfriend. I see, I see...”

Gabe bites back a hiss through his teeth. “Okay. I deserved that.”

“Mmhm.”

“But doesn’t his boyfriend kind of like... hate you?”

“Yeah. That’s why we can only do lunch. He’s still my friend, Gabe. We still want to hang out.”

“O—kay—,” Gabriel almost sings. 

Jesse slams his hand on the table. “Don’t you have work to do? Why is you here?”

His boss snickers. “Yeah, but that means having to take something to the east building. That would take forever in the current traffic. It would take even longer on the way back. I’d miss lunch.”

Jesse tilts his head back and forth in agreement. “Sure, sure... But why do you have to bother me?”

Gabriel sighs loudly again. “Jack won’t pick up.”

“Uhuh.”

Gabriel then launches into all of the relationship issues he has with Morrison. He says he loves me but he won’t come over. When he’s here it’s like fireworks but when he has to go Gabe’s alone again. Boo hoo hoo. Jesse has to have heard it a thousand times.

His phone vibrates.

>Hanny Bee: when are we going?

Jesse lets Gabriel go on like this for a while as he picks up his phone. 

>Cow Man: Dunno  
>Cow Man: Was thinking 15 mins buut  
>Cow Man: My boss is talking 2 much

Jesse puts his phone down.

“...And then he says he can’t do a long distance relationship. I just wanna know why he can’t try. Phones are a thing now so...”

Hanzo texts him again.

>Hanny Bee: about what  
>Cow Man: Guess.  
>Hanny Bee: jack?  
>Cow Man: Who else  
>Hanny Bee: gross.  
>Cow Man: Yeah  
>Cow Man: Where are we eating?

“¿Quién le texteas?”

“Hanzo.”

“You two fucking?”

“No, shut up.”

>Hanny Bee: can we go to the mall?  
>Cow Man: You want falafel?  
>Hanny Bee: I want falafel.

Jesse laughs at his phone. When he looks up, Gabe is frowning at him. 

“What?”

“Look, Jess. I know I was fucking around just now,” Gabriel starts. 

“Huh.”

“And I know I play with your feelings a lot...”

“Uhuh.”

“...I’m saying that’s a taken man. I don’t want you to get into trouble.”

Jesse rolls his eyes. “I’m not trying to date him. He has too much going on right now.”

Jesse’s phone buzzes rapidly. 

>Hanny Bee: hurry.  
>Hanny Bee: it has been 15 minutes  
>Hanny Bee: im starring  
>Hanny Bee: *starving  
>Hanny Bee: hurry.

Gabe raises his eye brow. “Doesn’t sounds like too much if he’s texting you like that. Sounds more like the guy wants your attention.”

“You would know what that looks like.”

Gabriel sucks in a breath. “That’s two in one day, Vaquero. Keep it up and I might transfer you.”

“You wouldn’t.”

“Yes, but I can.”

Jesse’s phone buzzes again.

>Hanny Bee: lets go out next friday  
>Hanny Bee: we will have to bring amèlie  
>Hanny Bee: or my brother  
>Hanny Bee: i really want crab legs

“If I work tomorrow night can I have Friday night off?”

“Jamie works tomorrow night.”

“Can’t you switch us?”

Gabriel leans into Jesse’s face. “Call me ‘Papi’ and you’ve got yourself a deal.”

Jesse puts his phone away and puts his chin in his hands. He bats his eyes.

“Oh... Papi...” Jesse uses the sluttiest voice he can muster. “Can I please have Friday off?”

Gabriel leans back and covers his burning face with one hand. “...Yeah, sure.”

Jesse rolls his eyes and gets up. “I’m going to HR.”

“Tell Winston I say hey, then.”

Jesse meets up with Hanzo outside. He drives them to the mall close by, not the expensive one but the one with falafel, as promised. Hanzo’s not much for conversation today, but he hasn’t been as of late. Jesse just counts himself lucky that today Hanzo accepted his lunch invitation. 

They get there and made a b-line to the food court. Hanzo tells Jesse to get his usual, a chicken falafel and a coke, and snags a seat before any of the lunch rush people could. Jesse orders himself a kofta kabob and another coke. 

They eat together in a comfortable silence. Hanzo’s done in 5 minutes. Jesse’s not even done with his first kabob.

“That was remarkable.”

“I told you I was starving.”

Jesse laughs. “You sure did.” He takes a sip from his drink. “Any other particular reason why you needed to come here?”

Hanzo nods. “I wanted to do a bit of shopping. A lot of important dates are coming up.”

“Yeah?”

“Yes. There is a promotion ceremony, so I need to start looking at what I’ll be wearing for that. Genji and Angela are planning a house warming party, too.”

“What?”

“They’re moving out of their apartment.”

“Oh, yeah? Good for them!” Jesse beams. He pauses. “Oh, well, I guess I have to find a gift for that, huh?”

“That’s why I decided to tell you ahead of time. You are terrible at gift giving.”

Jesse sputters. “I am not! You liked that sweater I gave you! The one with the dog on it?”

“...” Hanzo just slurps at his drink.

“You didn’t?!”

“Finish your food so we can go to Macy’s.”

Jesse does as he’s told and they do, in fact, go to Macy’s. Macy’s was shit though. Always has been, always will be. Luckily, there was a David’s Bridal on the second floor.

Hanzo’s thumbing through button ups and blazers. He pauses at a maroon colored one with pinstripes. 

“That one looks nice,” Jesse comments. 

“Yes.”

“Why are you just looking at suits?”

“Hm?”

“I just remember, two promotions ago,” Jesse begins.

“The one held during the day, in corner conference room, yes.”

“Yeah... you wore a dress to that one?”

“...Yes?”

“Why don’t you do that anymore?”

Hanzo smiles for the first time this entire hour. “Are you trying to tell me something, Jesse?”

The cowboy rolls his eyes. “You and I both know you look good in anything, don’t play.”

Hanzo snickers. “Yeah...”

“But why don’t you?”

Hanzo stops but doesn’t look up from the rack. “I haven’t really... had a chance to.”

“Uhuh.”

“...Also... Elio does not like it.”

“That’s what I figured it was.”

Hanzo goes back to flicking through suits. When he eventually looks up at the lack of chatter from McCree, it turns out he’s disappeared somewhere. Hanzo looks around this aisle and then the next to see where he could have gone. 

“Jesse?”

“Right behind you, sugar.”

Hanzo jumps and turns around. Jesse laughs heartily at him.

“I am glad I can be a source of amusement for you.”

“Aw, stop it. I’ve got something to show you.”

Jesse holds up a champagne colored sequin dress. It looks like it’s bubbling. The shape would fit him like a glove. 

“Jesse that is gorgeous.”

“I know.”

“Where would I wear it?”

“To the promotional party.”

“Absolutely not.”

“Why?”

“This one will be held at night and Elio is coming with me.”

Jesse groans. “Then the house warming party.”

“That will most definitely be a casual event!”

“I’ll tell Ange to turn it into some fancy dinner party.”

Hanzo ticks a brow. “My brother will throw a fit.”

“Let him!”

Hanzo has to fight off a second smile. He grabs at the tag but Jesse snags it back.

“Nah-uh!”

“How can I see the price, then?”

“Don’t you worry about that none. This is my treat.”

“This? And crab legs?”

“Yup.”

Hanzo rolls his eyes. “Fine then. There is something to be said about gift horses and mouths.” He takes out a cobalt blue blazer in his size and a matching tie. “...I am a size 18, by the way.”

Jesse looks down at the dress and runs back to where he got it from so he can get the right one. 

“Is there anywhere else we need to go?” Jesse asks, after they check out. 

“Yes. Sephora.”

“What’s that?”

“Jesse? You are half dating Gabriel. You know what eyeliner is.”

“Yeah, I’m just fucking with ya.”

Hanzo snorts.

Once they’re in the Sephora, Hanzo is instantaneously at the back of the store. He’s obviously looking for something very specific. Jesse watches as the man becomes increasingly more and more frustrated when whatever he’s trying to find doesn’t show up. Hanzo stops a passing clerk. She’s a young, little dark thing, just caked in glittery make up. She makes it look good though. 

“Excuse me miss. I am looking for the Jouer booth?”

“Sorry, sir. We stopped carrying that last month.”

Hanzo looks up at the ceiling, begging for the light above him to crush him. He was going to have a hard time finding a new brand and he didn’t have the time to hunt for a concealer that matched him like his Jouer did. 

“You look like a porcelain,” the clerk suddenly comments.

“Excuse me?” Hanzo didn’t know what to feel at the comment. He was pale but most people knew not say something about it. 

“Maybe a crème? Or buff?”

“I do not know what you—”

The clerk drags takes his hand and drags him to the other side of the store. “Come, I’ll show you what I use. We will find a replacement for you today, surely. My name is Efi, and I’m in charge of the Milk booth.”

Efi tests a couple of concealers and foundations for him. She tells him the brand is vegan and good for sensitive skin— Hanzo’s just in love with the color match. 

“Jesse!”

Jesse startles from where he is, knocking over the display of colorful blenders in their case. 

“Uh... yeah?”

“Tell me which one looks more like me.”

Jesse chooses the porcelain. 

“Yes! First try!” Efi exclaimed. Hanzo smiles. 

“I will take these, then.”

“Oh! We also have color correctors and highlighters if you are interested.”

Hanzo is already picking up one of the sample gold highlights to put into his basket. “Color... correctors?”

Efi nods. “Yes! They’re supposed to cancel out any tones you don’t like, depending on the color. Here,” she starts leading him to another booth. “This is the store brand stuff, but it gets the job done.”

Hanzo picks on up, confused. “It’s... green.”

“That’s how it works! It goes under the foundation. These can cancel out any thing from blush to hickies your boyfriend over there can give you.”

Jesse waves his hands. “You’ve got the wrong—“

Hanzo just takes the correctors. “Thank you. I think this is all I need.”

The little clerk beams. “Wonderful! Okay, just remember, my name is Efi! Tell the girl at the register when she asks.”

They check out, and even though they’re running late again, they still count the trip as a win. Jesse drives them back rather haphazardly, but they make it in one piece.

“Thank you Jesse,” Hanzo says as he exits the car. They start walking towards the complex. 

“It’s never a problem. You don’t have to wear the dress if you don’t want to. Just... think about it okay? It’ll make you happy. I’m sure.”

Hanzo rolls his eyes playfully. “Okay Jesse.”

“I’m serious. Text me?”

“Of course. Are you sure you can go out Friday for crab legs?”

“I’m free. I asked for the night off.”

Hanzo nods. “Good.”

They enter the lobby. That where they have to part ways. Jesse nudges him.

“Hanzo?”

“Yes, Jesse?”

“...You know you can call me whenever, right?”

Hanzo blinks before looking away. He nods. “Yes.”

Jesse points at the Sephora bag. “Tell me if you ever have to use that again. I don’t want to see it on your face. Ever.”

“If I learn well enough, you shouldn’t be able to tell.”

Jesse doesn’t laugh. Hanzo pushes him.

“I am kidding. Are you the only one allowed to do that?”

“Not about that.”

Hanzo just laughs. “I am okay Jesse. It has not happened since...”

“Since the cabinet?”

“...Yes. Not since... then.”

Jesse looks down at his boots. Hanzo doesn’t know how he can get away with making it look good with his boring, tan uniform. Hanzo pats his face. He runs his hand over Jesse’s cheek. 

“You are so kind to me.”

“You deserve better than that, that’s why,” Jesse mumbles. He pushes the button on the elevator so Hanzo can get to his floor. 

“I am fine Jesse.”

“Well, then, can I ask you a favor?”

“Anything. Within reason, of course.”

Jesse looks up. Hanzo’s caught in his sorrowfully brown eyes. He looks like a country song. 

“Can you tell me when it happens again?”

Hanzo blinks, thinks about it, before elevator pings. 

“I’ll text you Jesse,” he says, before stepping on. 

Jesse just watches as the doors close and the elevator takes him away. When it does, he sighs and runs his hands through his hair. He wishes he could bring his hat to work without breaching uniform. He would scream into it. 

“That was... something,” a voice behind him starts. Jesse jumps. 

“Gabriel! Pinche pendejo, what where you doing there?!”

Gabriel gets up from where he was leaning against the wall. 

“I was waiting here for a bit. I was going to chew you out for being late again but— wow. Your date didn’t go so well? He tell you that he’s out of your league, yet?”

Jesse huffs and checks past him. “Shut up, Gabe. It wasn’t about that.”

Gabriel follows behind him. “Whatever. You have three more deliveries and I have to do the east building one I saved until now.”

Jesse doesn’t respond. Gabriel scoffs but follows him to the courier office in the back of the complex. They’re silent for a bit before—

“So... when what happens again?”

“Drop it.”

“I’m just curious, Jesito.”

“I’m serious, Gabe.”

“So am I. Tell you when what happens?”

Jesse suddenly turns on him. “Why are you so fucking nosy Reyes?”

Gabriel stops, taken aback. “¡Oiga!”

“Can’t you tell when I don’t wanna talk about something? You saw it. You saw that I don’t wanna talk about that. I told you to drop it.” Jesse pokes at his boss’s chest. “I get that you’re jealous because your rebound-booty-call might suddenly not always be available, but Jefe? You can have a crumb of fucking tact for once. That was between me and Hanzo. End of story. Christ.”

Gabriel just stands agape. Everyone in the courier’s office is starting. 

“You have 5 deliveries to do,” Gabriel says, snatching a random two parcels from two other couriers and thrusting them in Jesse’s chest. The cowboy has to hastily grab them, the push almost knocked the wind out of Jesse’s chest. “The rest are on your desk.” 

He stalks off into his office, the only one in the courier room. It was an open floor plan, so everyone saw that. Everyone in the room has either their faces frozen in shock or admiration or both. Not everyone there could yell at the boss and get away with only two extra deliveries. Jesse really toed the line there. 

“What’re y’all lookin’ at,” he mutters at the crowd, before heading to his desk. 

As the office begins to pick back up in conversation, Jesse slumps in his seat. 

If he wants to make it back to his apartment before dark, he’d better get started.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was fun to write because I get to flex my Spanish muscles.
> 
> “ Si tienes algo que decirme, hazlo rápido”  
> If you have something to say to me, make it fast.
> 
> “Yo sé que tú me quieres”  
> I know that you love me 
> 
> No puedo  
> I can’t 
> 
> Cuando te beneficia  
> When it benefits you 
> 
> ¿Quién le texteas?  
> Who are you texting
> 
> Pinche pendejo  
> Lit. Prick asshole/fucking asshole (I think, I hear it used like this but correct me if I’m wrong)
> 
> ¡Oiga!  
> Lit. Look/ Hey!


	8. Handle and Spout

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> mmmm filler, yummy, i had to cut a chapter in half because it was so long, so sexy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone. Thank you all for your encouragement and your continued support. Sorry for disappearing on you all. Tomorrow morning I intend to post another chapter, so I hope you can forgive me < 3
> 
> Thank you for commenting and thank you for reading.

Hanzo dials his favorite coworker’s number and props the phone by the mirror as it rings. 

“Oh, it has been a long while, Hanzo. A call from you has turned into a sort of a once in a lifetime event. I should get the camera.”

Hanzo snorts. “I am sorry Amèlie. Forgive me for neglecting our breakfasts together. My life has been messy lately.”

“Do not worry, I expect you to tell me why we have yet had the chances to bitch about the new guy on the third floor.”

“He starts off his emails with ‘just looping in.’” Hanzo’s tisks as he looks at himself in the mirror. He looks good, he needs to finish getting dressed after doing his make up. “I wish to loop my hands around his neck.”

“Squeeze hard.”

“I will think of you.”

The two of them cackle over the line.

“Are you going to cancel at the last minute this time?”

“I do not think so.”

“Excellent. Satya is coming from the East building. She misses you too.”

Hanzo hums, starting on his make up. “I will apologize to her.”

Amélie hums back. “What color are you wearing. I want to match.”

“My options are champagne and cobalt.”

“Mmm, I have cobalt.”

“Then I’ll wear cobalt.”

Hanzo finishes with his face and walks back into the bedroom, taking the phone with him into his closet. He dresses into a pair of his blackest slacks and irons out his blackest button down. Afterwards, he gets into his blazer at looks at himself in the full length mirror. 

Stunning. 

He just needs to get his shoes and his boyfriend and it’ll be perfect. After deciding to pin up his hair into a bun last minute, he steps down into the living room. 

“Ellie? Why aren’t you dressed, I thought you were ready.”

Elio glances up from his spot on the couch. He’s still in his pajamas, one of Hanzo’s T-shirts and his boxers. He looks back at the television. 

“I’m not going.”

Hanzo can already feel a headache coming on. 

“Why not.”

“I don’t want to go.”

“Why do you not want to go?”

Elio doesn’t respond. Hanzo repeats himself once before he steps in front of the TV. 

“Elio.”

“Jesus fuck— what? What Hanzo.”

“Why will you not come with me?”

Elio glares up from his spot on the couch. “Move, Hanzo.”

“Answer me, please.”

“I don’t want to deal with you and your fucking work friends and deal with your pretentious ass waxing lyrical about expense reports and shit,” the blonde snaps. “How’s that? Can you move now? I’m watching Glee reruns, because that’s what I want to do tonight.”

Hanzo bites his lip. “Fine. Stay. Enjoy your evening.”

“Don’t stay out too late,” Elio says as Hanzo grabs the keys and his wallet. 

“Okay,” Hanzo says as he walks back to the couch to kiss Elio goodbye. Elio presses a finger to his lips before actually kisses him. “And one more thing,” He says lowly. “When you get back, I don’t wanna hear about the promotion you’re bound to get.”

Hanzo tuts to himself and moves Elio’s hand so he can peck his cheek. 

At the very least Elio thought he was going to get the promotion. 

Hanzo arrives to the event on time. He has to stop himself from running up to his friend when he gets to the front of the complex. 

“You look elegant, Monsieur Shimada,” Amélie says, her voice a calm lilt. 

Hanzo preens. He gives Amélie a once over. She’s dressed in a deep V-necked dress that tied with a thin band around her middle, in royal blue, as promised. She covered her shoulders in a black fur. “You look ravishing, yourself.”

Amélie laughs into her hand at their pretentious greetings. They know how ridiculous they are together, like like to play it up for events like these. Hanzo offers her his arm. She takes it, gladly. They begin to walk inside to the lobby. A lot of people were milling around before the event. 

“Where is this boyfriend of yours, the one that keeps you from all of these events?” Amélie asks. She’s concerned, since Hanzo told her Elio was supposed to make it today. Hanzo had bragged about how excited he was to show his adorable boyfriend off. 

So where was he?

“He is not a fan of these kind of events. He seemed... low energy before we had left anyways. I told him to stay.”

Not a lie. Not quite the truth though. It was easier to say this than outright lying that Elio was sick. Amélie was really good at picking up at that sort of thing. 

Hanzo could see her scrutinizing him from the corner of her eye. What Hanzo said seems to check out for her, since she half tugs him to the refreshment table. It didn’t have the most expensive selection, but there was fondue. Amélie often prided herself in the finer things in life, as bougie as she was, but if there was cheddar involved? Hand it over. Hanzo’s once caught her after a bad week (break up, botched presentation, shrunk laundry) in sweatpants (yikes) and a can of sprayable cheese (double yikes). 

Not her finest moment. 

“How is Elizabeth?” Hanzo asks, while his friend is piling her platter with assorted cheese dipped hors d’oeuvres. 

“She has been doing very well at the jewelers. She very recently earned her pearl classification certificate. I am very proud.”

Hanzo smiles. “Very impressive.”

“There you two are.”

Hanzo looks up at the third voice that has entered the conversation. Satya Vaswani: tall, brown, beautiful in her cerulean dress. Hanzo brightens at her presence. 

When Hanzo decided to finally reject the Shimada corporation, he managed to find his brother’s email address and told him that he had left Japan to come to America. His brother told him that he could stay with him if he’d gotten a job so they could size up to a better apartment. Between navigating a brand new, much healthier relationship with his brother, being in between lodging, and job searching; Hanzo had next to nothing. Just Genji and the twin bed that they slept on Jesse’s spare room. 

Then, at a Starbucks, he had bumped into Satya. She was on her way in and he was on his way out. He had noticed that she was wearing a geometric pair of Dolce & Gobbana sunglasses, but commented on the angled balance of the pair on her face rather than just the brand. 

She was immediately interested in what he had to say about them. 

She asked Hanzo why is he at a Starbucks only to order water in his own cup. 

He said reusables are better for the environment and water is better for his body, but he enjoys the ambiance. She tells him that the complex that she does architecture for has an opening. She was very abrupt in nature. A lot of people found her straight forwardness intimidating. Hanzo found it refreshing. 

If it weren’t for Satya, Hanzo wouldn’t know what he’d be doing for a living right now. 

Probably working at the Starbucks they’d met at. 

“Yes, here we are,” Hanzo replies. Satya’s lip twitches in the approximation of a smile. Hanzo can tell that she’s in a good mood today. 

“Were you looking for us?” Amélie asks. She takes a tooth pick with a piece of cheese covered sausage and an olive on it.

“Yes. The curator does not know how to throw a good party. They left chairs all over the place and access to the couriers office. The guests will ruin their system, I am sure.”

Hanzo smiles. “You wish to bitch with us?”

Satya visibly melts at the proposition. “Please.”

Hanzo and Amélie laugh. The three of them find chairs to arrange them in a neat row against the wall, per Vaswani’s request. The lobby was built in a flat, wide U shape, and they were in the right arm of the U. The wall adjacent to them is the one the with a projector positioned in front of an area with a small step up and a shallow stage. This is where the event will be hosted. 

“The chairs should be in rows in front of the stage,” Satya begins. “Why would they just scatter chairs. The sound of everyone gathering and dragging their chairs will be disturbing.”

Amélie nods as she spears another olive and puts it into her mouth. 

“Not to mention the scuffs on the floor afterwards,” Hanzo adds. 

Satya snorts and makes a gesture in agreement with one of her hands. 

“I hear that someone from the fifth floor did it,” Amélie murmurs. 

“Fifth floor?’ Hanzo scoffs, as if he had something disgusting in his mouth. Satya groans. 

“Yes.”

“That floor is always a mess.”

Nothing from that floor makes it out on time. If you send something to that floor you can expect it to get lost. If you want to do work, good luck, the internet is slow. The fax machine is always jammed. The cubicles are staggered instead of inline or grouped. It’s the only floor without a working toaster in the lounge. It doesn’t even have carpeted floors. It is the only floor with tile. Why is that? Why doesn’t it have carpet?

“Everyone on the floor should be arrested,” Satya asserts. 

Amélie tuts. Hanzo’s eyes widened. “What for? They are terrible, yes, but I do not know about jail...”

Amélie looks up at their friend. “What would why even call the cops for?” Sarcastically, she adds, “Oh, yes, my document disappeared there three weeks ago, get them.”

Satya covers her mouth as she always does when she’s messing with them. 

“For... Disorderly conduct.”

Hanzo and Amélie blink at her before Hanzo dissolves into a fit of laughter. Hanzo has to hold his stomach, that was exactly his brand of humor. Amélie groans. 

“You two are terrible.”

At that moment, the host calls the event to start. 

It is announced that a few people in attendance were being promoted, one of which was Amélie for her successful relations with their partners overseas. They’re also announcing a new lounge in the east building. They also want Satya to lead the design. The company is welcoming half of their interns to permanently work with them, as well. Hanzo heartily congratulates them. 

After the curator closes the event, everyone is free to mingle and schmooze as they please. Hanzo offers the Ladies of the Hour his arms so when people come up to congratulate them, they don’t feel the need to get touchy. They often stick together based on this system. 

When they finally get a moment to breath, Hanzo quickly leads them to the front doors of the complex so they can get their cars and go home. Satya waves them goodbye first, but Amélie stops Hanzo as he walks her to her car. 

“Hanzo, ma puce, I have something to tell you before I leave.”

Hanzo looks at her attentively. 

“My promotion moves me from our floor to the eighth floor.”

Hanzo’s eyebrows lift. “Wow.”

Amélie grins. “Yes.” The eighth floor has all of mini offices for everyone who works foreign relations. Amélie’s promotion has her settled in with the team. Her last trip was a test to see if she could hang with the best of them, and obviously she can do what they do as more. Since she was on the team now, that meant she didn’t need as big of an office as she currently had, since she would be away from it too often traveling. 

“You get my corner office,” Amélie states.

Hanzo gapes. “The one with two walls that are just windows?”

Amélie nods. “Yes.”

Hanzo has to take a deep breath to remain composed. “Thank you.”

His friend laughs aloud and begins walking again. 

“It is no problem.”

Hanzo returns home in a great mood. He almost dances up the steps inside. 

He glances over to the couch. Elio is dead asleep. The TV has turned itself off. The blonde looks adorable like that. 

Hanzo scoops him up and puts him to bed. 

As Hanzo begins to undress so he can get to bed too, his phone buzzes. 

>Cow Man: Are you still up?

Hanzo hangs up his blazer before messaging him back. 

>Hanny Bee: no  
>Cow Man: OK sorry

And then a moment later

>Cow Man: Wait 

Hanzo snorts to himself and and finishes dressing down into just a pair of boxer briefs and one of his boyfriends tshirts. Hanzo likes how much it smelt like Elio. 

>Hanny Bee: what do you need   
>Cow Man: Genji says hell get crab with us  
>Cow Man: *hell  
>Cow Man: Fuck  
>Cow Man: *he’ll

Hanzo snickers this time. Hanzo puts the phone down for a moment to wash his face. Afterwards, as he brushes his teeth, he picks up the phone. 

>Hanny Bee: you’re right though  
>Hanny Bee: going out with Genji is hell  
>Cow Man: HA  
>Hanny Bee: i was not joking  
>Hanny Bee: tomorrow then?

Hanzo spits one more time into the sink and rinses. 

>Cow Man: Yeah.   
>Hanny Bee: wonderful. see you tomorrow.   
>Cow Man: Yee Haw. 

Hanzo laughs aloud at that one. He puts his phone on the charger and climbs into bed with his boyfriend. Elio rolls over and snuggles right into him. 

The next day is spent with Hanzo cleaning out his tiny office. This one had only one window, the other blocked by the utility closet next door, making it a very technical ‘corner office.’ Every one around him started gossiping about what could have possibly gotten Hanzo fired, when in reality the man is moving from one space to another on that very floor. 

Hanzo had also brought a couple of things from his house to decorate the area. He brought in a mini rock garden, a book case, and a second monitor. He’ll add more Monday. 

By the time evening rolled around, Jesse texts him telling him he has to cancel for their night out. He pissed off his boss earlier that week and Gabriel is deciding to suddenly get back at him for it by putting him back on overtime today. Hanzo finds himself disappointed, but finds it easer to be upset in his corner office than in his cubicle. Hanzo tells him it’s okay, but now he DOUBLE owes him. Jesse tells him he’s just fine with that. 

Genji still stops by. The two of them go to a gritty hole in the wall type restaurant for coconut curry and chicken marsala take out. Hanzo drives them to Genji’s place so they can eat. 

When the get there, Angela is lounging on a futon with everyone’s favorite throw and a wet towel on her head to stop a migraine. The living room was sparse without the couch, but it looks like the couple was almost done with moving out. Angela yells at them when they walk in and Hanzo turns on the light. 

“I apologize,” Hanzo whispers, flicking the light back off. Angela grumbles in response. Genji leads them to the apartment balcony instead. It had seating that came with the apartment. 

“She’s had nothing but night shifts this week in the pediatric ward. She’s a saint.”

“Agreed. I could never.”

“Neither could I.”

The two of them shovel down their food, discussing their lives recently. Genji tells him about how he’s thinking about taking the car to this mechanic Angela knows, so they could replace a bunch of parts with ones bought on eBay. He bought them with the money he’s earned reselling stuff he’s found at Goodwill. That way, he could start ride sharing and delivery on top of his mini resale hustle. 

“I really forget that you are not just some kept man,” Hanzo says, pouring some of the curry onto his rice. 

Genji shrugs. “I almost am. I do the cooking, the cleaning— but only because Angel works so hard. She should not have to come home to a dirty house after everything she has to do everyday.”

“You sound like our mother.”

Genji laughs. “Okay, American office man, how is your own kept man doing?”

Hanzo huffs. “He is still looking for a job. He told me he had gone to an interview or two recently, but I think he is lying... He’s having a difficult time right now so,” Hanzo takes a spoon full of curry rice and puts it into his mouth. “So, he is a bit surly right now. He tries so hard, Genji, but now it feels like... he’s given up.”

“Ah.”

Hanzo nods. “He does not like me talking about my job either. He did not come with me to the office event yesterday.”

Genji makes a face. “He didn’t?”

“No.”

“He should support you more. No matter how shitty his search is going.”

“Yeah...”

“He’s honestly an asshole sometimes, I do not know what you see in that man.”

Hanzo scoff. “You do not understand. Elio is so sweet sometimes, Genji. When he really wants to be, he’s like... he’s my Prince Charming.”

“Blech.”

“Just the other day he set up a home theater because he saw that I was not feeling well.”

“Yeah?”

Hanzo purposefully blocks out how bad that evening ended. He just swoons over the romantic beginning. “Yes. It was very romantic.”

Genjis face showed how mixed his feelings were. He was happy at how enamored Hanzo was with his boyfriend but... Genji didn’t quite like Elio. Something about him rubbed him the wrong way the more he sees that man. 

“...Okay Hanzo,” he says as he leans down to take a bite of his rice and marsala. “Oh! Wait— I almost forgot,” He starts back up. “You know how Angel and I are having that party this Monday?”

Hanzo nods. “Yes, the house warming.”

“She, ugh.” Genj takes a sip of his drink before continuing. “She wants it to be a formal tea party. I don’t understand why, though. Sure it’s a three day weekend, but it still means we have to rush moving everything.”

“She wants a tea party?”

“Jesse said something about tea parties in passing and now she’s obsessed.”

Jesse must really want Hanzo to wear that dress. Hanzo huffs to himself in amusement. What a ridiculous man. 

“I can help you two, if you need.”

Genji nods a little. “It would be nice to have a little extra help, another set of hands. Your interior decorating skills are... too good. It’s kind of gay.”

Hanzo nods. “Yes. It comes with the trade. You suck dick, you learn interior design. Simple.”

Genji snorts. “Can you tell Gabriel? I went to his apartment the other day and _damn_. Jesse had a weird set up but at least it still had a cohesive theme. Gabriel just throws random things around. I do not know how Jack can spend so much time there.”

“Normally when they do, the lights are off.”

Genji cackles. His laugher bounces off of the streets below in an echo.


	9. Steam and Shout

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Elio steps back inside. That was overwhelming. He can’t be his usual charming self when his boyfriend had to introduce him. 
> 
> Elio manages to wander into the kitchen. 
> 
> “Angela...?” Elio tests.
> 
> “Elio, yes?”
> 
> “Yeah.”
> 
> “I’m glad you could make it. You are enjoying the party, yes?”
> 
> “Yeah, it’s really good so far. I’m enjoying myself anyway,” he lies. 
> 
> “I’m glad. How’s Hanzo?”
> 
> “Hm?”
> 
> “I just mean, how’s his nose? It looked healed enough but... No lingering signs of concussion?”
> 
> Elio huffs. He really though he wouldn’t have to deal with anymore of these questions. 
> 
> (The ball gets rolling again)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Warnings: physical fighting
> 
> The next chapter, this morning, as intended!
> 
> For those of you who have read the author’s note, thank you. For those of you who have commented on it, double thank you.
> 
> I’m going to try to get back to some form of a regular schedule, but be warned: I have family to host and classes again.
> 
> As always, thank you for commenting and thank you for reading < 3 I don’t think I would have gone back to this before a month had passed if not for your continued support and investment.
> 
> Thank you < 3

That Sunday afternoon has Hanzo baking melon pan while getting dressed for the housewarming. this time, Elio was going to go. No buts. He even made sure the man was ready before he started baking.

“Ellie, baby, when the timer goes off can you call me? Those can not burn.”

Elio agrees, already dressed in a peach blazer and tan slacks. Hanzo has to pause to run his eyes over him one last good time before he dashed upstairs. He was so handsome in that. The outfit made his skin look warm and his grey eyes look blue. 

Hanzo looks at himself in the mirror. The dress really was stunning, a bit loose, this brands’ sizes might be a bit bigger than he’s used to, but he’s able to pin it in place for now. He could probably get Mei to take it in for him. 

He rushes over to his mirror to brush on the make up he’d gotten from the mall. He doesn’t have anything serious to cover up, just his undereye circles and pimple or two. Hanzo just wanted to test how the new brand would look on his face. 

It looked amazing. The highlighter stick was the best he’s purchased in a while. He didn’t put a whole lot on his face but when he tilted his face toward the light he looked like his cheekbone was cut from diamond. 

“Hanzo, the oven beeped!” Elio called. 

Hanzo speeds down the stairs as safely possible and checks the bread. They’d risen perfectly. He takes the hand towel and takes the tray out. Hanzo starts hunting for a basket and cloth to put them all in. 

“I haven’t seen that dress before.”

Hanzo glances up for a moment from the kitchen island drawers and goes back to rummaging through. “Oh, yes, I got it at the mall when I went to lunch the other day.”

“Hm.”

“Do you like it?”

“Hanzo, you know I don’t like dresses.”

Hanzo takes out their picnic basket with an ‘ah,’ and puts a bread cloth into it. “Yes, but, do you like it on me?”

Elio takes the tongs and starts loading the bread into the basket. He doesn’t look up, but his cheeks redden. “...It’s stunning, Hanzo. You’re always stunning.”

Hanzo’s heart flutters. 

“Finish up what you have to do, we’ll be late if I made you change.”

Hanzo nods and gathers their wallets and the keys. “I am getting into the car, please bring the bread!”

Elio gets into the driver seat while Hanzo is still settling into his own. 

“Here,” Elio says, placing the bread into Hanzo’s lap. Hanzo looks up to smile at him.

Elio starts the car. 

“You’re in a good mood,” he says. 

Hanzo nods. “Yes. I am excited to see everyone in the same spot for the first time in a long time.” He hates to admit it, but Genji was a genius for this. He’ll place the blame on Angela for that. 

Elio huffs. 

“Are you not excited,” Hanzo asks, testing the waters. 

“I’m... not. Sorry.”

Hanzo tilts his head. His bangs fall into his face and he remembers that he keeps a spare hair tie in the console. He puts down the mirror to put his hair up into a casual bun— but mind, even at his most causal does Hanzo look fancy. 

“Why not?”

“I just don’t see why I have to go.”

Hanzo tuts. “They want to get to know you better. They ask about you all the time. I get to see all of the people whose company I enjoy, and believe it or not, that include you.”

Elio smiles gently. “Yeah?”

“Yes.”

Elio is silent for a moment. Hanzo focuses on his face. 

“Why? Are you nervous?”

“...No.”

Hanzo snickers and teases him about it the rest of the ride there. It does put his boyfriend in a better mood, though. 

Once they arrived at his brother’s new house, Elio steps out of the car and opens the door for Hanzo. 

“So charming,” Hanzo teases. Elio gives him a bashful smile. 

“Anija!” Genji calls from his porch. 

“What!” Hanzo shouts back. 

“Don’t ‘what’ me! Get over here!”

Hanzo grumbles in Japanese and trudges up the porch steps. Elio follows. Genji has his hands in his gray slacks, the only sensible part of his outfit. The rest of it is a bright green blazer and a black and off black pinstriped button down. This may have been the only way Angela was able to have him dress for a formal event. Hanzo does not blame him, the formals their dad forced them to were terrible and stifling. 

Hanzo in a dress. Genji in a bastardized suit. 

What would their father think? They know their mother is turning in her grave for sure. 

The brothers size each other up. 

“Sissy,” Genji says. 

“Tacky,” Hanzo responds. 

Genji beams. Hanzo smirks back.

“Thank you for coming, Hanzo. You look wonderful.”

“And you, as well,” nods Hanzo. He follows his brother inside. “When is the tour?”

As Genji explains that it’ll happen once a few more people come by, Elio grips Hanzo’s arm. 

“Why did you let him talk to you like that?” Elio wishers though his teeth. 

“It is just how we talk, Ellie. Please be calm.”

Elio fumes from behind Hanzo, but does not let go of his arm.

“So what’s in the bag?” Genji says abruptly. 

“Melon pan.”

Genji rounds on Hanzo. “You’re serious.”

Hanzo nods once. “Freshly baked.”

Genji looks like his about to vibrate out of existence from how excited he is. 

“If you take me to the back yard where I’m sure everyone is, I can make sure you get the biggest roll.”

The younger Shimada speeds off with a, “This way!” But then realizes that the back door is not in that direction with a “Sike, we’re going this way!”

Hanzo laughs to himself and follows, leading Elio behind him. 

Angela has set up their back yard beautifully. She tells them they thrifted almost the entire patio set save for the cushions— she got those at Hobby Lobby or something. Everyone here has brought some kind of food for the event. Lena brought cheese, onion, and potato pasties. Olivia brought ingredients for tostadas, the tortilla on the side so when you eat them it’s still crunchy. Amélie brought savory cheese and tomato crepés with various meats and other fillings. Gabriel brought flan. Jack brought fruit and cottage cheese. Satya brought a Baath cake. Jesse brought chicken fried steak with white gravy on the side. Anyone who wasn’t here yet was sure to come a little later. 

Hanzo places the basket on the snack table and leads his boyfriend around the space as he greets every one of his friends. Elio’s grip tightens around him, but Hanzo pats his hand where it sits on his arm. Hanzo glances back at the snack table to where Genji is already flipping back the bread cloth of the Melon pan basket. 

“Wash your hands first! They are dirty,” Hanzo calls after him. Amélie, who he was currently chatting with, laughs into her hand. Today, she wears lavender, since her wardrobe never makes it past dark green on the far end of the color spectrum. Her girlfriend, Ashe, unfortunately couldn’t make it today. She had to cover someone’s shift at the jewelers last second; and saying that she couldn’t because she had a garden party to go to wasn’t an appropriate excuse. 

“Hanzo, you were introducing your partner.”

Hanzo’s eyelashes flutter as he focuses back on the conversation. 

“I apologize— Elio, you’ve seen Amélie, yes? She has wanted to know you better for a while. She used to work on the same floor as I do.”

Elio extends his hand. “She’s gorgeous, but birds of a feather, apparently.”

Amélie shakes his hand gingerly. “That is why he calls you Prince Charming, it seems.”

Elio glances at Hanzo. “He really calls me that? In public?”

”Yes,” Hanzo says, unashamed. 

“He only ever has good things to say about you. I wanted to know more about this man Hanzo can not seem to shut up about. Everyone does.”

Elio’s enchanting demeanor flakes a bit when he blushes. 

“I see...”

Satya is a more complicated conversation. She’s with Jamie, who came by later with store bought rice crispy bars with his friend Mako, who brought brined shredded pork. It’s strange that they get along, considering how wild the pair were compared to Satya. Hanzo figures it’s because Mako is nonverbal and Jamie is just eccentric enough to not be bothered by Satya’s neurodivergence. She wasn’t for everyone, but she was definitely okay for them. They’re still wild, so sometimes they’re not okay for her. 

Right now? They’re just fine. Mako is dressed nicely in a leaf print button down. Jamie is also nicely dressed, save for his lack of shirt underneath his vest. Satya is in another turquoise dress, this one a crocheted eyelet pattern. It is her version of semi formal, which is still very formal. 

“You look gorgeous in that. I like the way the sun refracts off of the sequins.”

“Explain the mathematics of it to me,” Hanzo asks. Satya merrily theorizes the angles of refraction and distance and EM spectrum and et cetera, et cetera— all for a single sequin. Mako looks like he’s paying attention. Jamie disassociated when Hanzo said ‘math.’ 

Elio wants to pull away from the conversation when Jamie waves over Mei, who had just arrived with mooncakes. Genji flags after her for her Tupperware. Hanzo turns to his boyfriend. 

“Would you like something to eat,” he asks. “Before the crowd gets too big?”

“Please.” 

Hanzo takes him to the table with all of the refreshments. Hanzo loads up a plate for himself, chicken and gravy and a tostada, and then one for his boyfriend, a pastie and a crepé. This way they can try everything and not look greedy or fill up before the snack foods. 

As they ate, Gabriel comes bounding over. Elio leans into Hanzo. Hanzo just looks up, attentive. 

“Hey,” Gabriel starts. 

“Hello. Gabriel, this is Elio, Elio this is Gabriel. I do not think you have formally met.”

Gabriel shakes his boyfriend’s hand. They nod at each other. “Yeah, nice to meet you— did you make the conchas?”

Hanzo squints. A lot of people think that this face makes him look mean, and it does. He’s really just confused. “Ah. No? I made melon pan.”

“The bread with the cookie on top?”

“Yes.”

“That’s...”

“Melon pan.”

Gabriel looks mean when he’s confused too. Jack and Angela’s mentor, Ana, notice Gabriel and automatically gravitate towards the conversation. Hanzo quickly goes through the introductions for everyone, but the four of them get into what constitutes a concha or melon pan. Jesse and Genji are called over, since both of them are in the middle of stuffing their faces with the sweet bread. 

“Hanzo made the conchas?” Jesse asks. He’s dressed in his finest black cowboy boots and his fanciest brimmed hat. He also sports a maroon suit and a Black button down. 

“What the fuck is a concha,” Genji demands. Gabriel points at the half finished roll in Genji’s hand. 

“That’s just a doughnut,” Jack says. Everyone stares at him before moving on. 

“What do you see in him?” Ana mutters to Gabriel. Genji chortles, chokes on the last piece of his bread. 

“It is melon pan,” Hanzo asserts. 

“It don’t... it don’t taste like a melon?” Jesse questions.

“I’m moron-sexual,” Gabe answers back to the doctor. 

“It’s called that because it looks like a melon,” Genji explains after clearing his throat. 

“What kind of melon—” Jesse and Jack start. 

Elio tugs on Hanzo’s arm. “I’m going to the bathroom,” he says, before leaving. Hanzo nods and goes back at the clusterfuck of a conversation over bread. 

Elio steps back inside. That was overwhelming. He couldn’t talk much because he didn’t know anybody well enough. It made him feel awkward in a way he couldn’t handle. He can’t be his usual charming self when his boyfriend had to introduce him and no matter how charming Elio was, he always had trouble starting his own conversations in a crowd. He was grateful to Hanzo, though. He hadn’t left his side this whole time. 

Elio manages to wander into the kitchen, where Angela is starting to prepare a few drinks. Angela is dressed in a yellow ditsy floral dress. There was a lot of rum on the table. 

“Angela...?” Elio tests. The blonde smiles at him.

“Yes, and Elio, yes?”

Elio nods back. “Yeah.”

“I’m glad you could make it. You are enjoying the party, yes?”

Elio nods once again. “Yeah, it’s really good so far. I’m enjoying myself anyway,” he lies. Angela doesn’t notice though, she looks pleased, in fact. 

“I’m glad. How’s Hanzo?”

“Hm?”

“I just mean, how’s his nose? It looks healed well enough, but the last time he was at the old apartment I was sick and anytime before that I was working.” She starts mixing drinks. “I just wanted to hear from the man who lives with him. No lingering signs of concussion?”

Elio huffs. He really though he wouldn’t have to deal with anymore of these questions. 

“No, he’s fine. Hey, where’s your bathroom?” Elio asks, abruptly. He really wants this conversation done now. Enough with pleasantries. 

Angela directs him to the downstairs bathroom. He takes care of his business and heads back to the backyard, where drinks have definitely already been served. The sun was only just starting to set on the horizon.

Genji has set up a card table. Olivia deals for poker, since no one wants to play against her. She cheats though, so it’s valid. Jesse is teamed up with Genji, who is definitely cheating. Jack is pretending that he doesn’t know how to play, so Gabriel will teach him. Hanzo’s saddled up to Amélie, an unshakable team with their resting bitch faces. Everyone else is chatting over their drinks, sat on blankets in the grass. 

Elio serves up a plate of flan for his boyfriend. He considers it the toll he has to pay to sit in Hanzo’s lap. Hanzo wraps his arms around his waist and clues him into their cards. Elios brows raise. 

“I raise,” Jesse says immediately. Genji looks up suddenly and grins. Amélie glares at Elio. Hanzo stabs his slice of flan and takes a strong bite before letting out a deep exhale. 

“Ellie, dove, can you get me another slice of flan? And a moon cake possibly?”

Genji cackles. “Your boyfriend’s face cant keep secrets, don’t mince words!”

Jack and Olivia are hiding their laughter behind their cards. Jesse smiles smugly at Elio, who pulls a face. Hanzo curses at his brother. 

“I’ll get you a slice, don’t worry,” Elio says, and only Hanzo can taste the bitterness underneath the words. “Play your game.” 

Elio does as he’s told and sits by Angela, Ana, Lena, and Mei. They’re neutral enough, until they start talking in depth about their work at the hospital. Mei works at the hospital’s mortuary and will not stop calling it the ‘ice box.’ Once she starts talking about how a dead body punched her in the stomach during an instant rigor episode, he decides that the conversation is definitely no longer for him.

He tries returning to the poker table, back to Hanzo’s lap. Jesse eyes are instantly glued on him. It makes him want to squirm. 

“Hanzo,” Elio whispers into Hanzo’s ear, his voice a slight whine. 

“Just a moment— I’m sorry,” Hanzo doesn’t look up from Amélie’s cards and takes a sip from his rum and coke. “You were asking me something, Gabriel?”

“I asked if you got that promotion the other day. Jesse said you went to the, uhhhhh, office thing the other day. I know your girlfriends uhhh ranked up.” Gin slowed Gabriel down. That’s why he likes it. Amélie sticks her tongue out at being called one of Hanzo’s ‘girlfriends.’ Elio tenses at the direction of conversation. 

“No, that was only Amélie’s and Vaswani’s event.”

Amélie chimes in before taking a sip of her Bloody Mary. “He did, however, get to move into my old corner office. You know, the big one.”

The whole table suddenly looks up and offer their congratulations. 

“You never told me that!” Genji accuses. From the other side of the yard, Mei calls back: “What is it? What didn’t he tell you this time?”

Genji tells her. Now that side of the yard is sending their congratulations. Even Mako raises his glass to him. 

Hanzo thanks everyone gracefully. 

“Oh, hey, Elio,” Jesse starts. Hanzo’s manicured brow ticks up, but that’s it.

“Hm?”

“We didn’t get to hear much from you this whole night.”

“I mean, I guess.” The blonde offers one of his signature bashful smiles. Hanzo swoons a little. Everyone swoons a little bit, too. Jesse won’t buy it, but he can definitely understand the price. 

“Tell us about yourself.”

“Oh, well, I’m an Aries,” Elio starts. the entire table erupts into laughter. Hanzo smiles into his neck. Jesse even had to chuckle at that one. He wasn’t just charming, he was funny, too. 

“Yeah but like,” Olivia encourages. “What are you like? What do you do?”

The entire table is focused on him. The game is paused for now. 

“I... do a little Pilates, I do a little investing... oh, lately I’ve been trying to read the top 100 best sellers with Hanzo. We have no idea why most of them sell so well but, hey.”

Genji takes out his phone. “What the fuck is Pilates?”

Jack looks at Gabriel. “Does that turn you on?”

Gabriel tilts his head back and forth. “Más o menos.”

Jesse has to hold back a laugh. “Yeah, that’s pretty neat,” he says to Elio. “But like... where do you work? Most of us know each other through work and I... I don’t think I’ve ever seen you at Angie’s.”

Hanzo’s eyes go sharp at Jesse. Jesse feels like he might melt at the heat of it. Genji looks up from his phone. 

“I um...” Elio scratches the back of his head. “I’m not working right now.”

Jesse looks back at his cards in a definitely unsmug way. “Oh.”

The table is silent now. 

“...Since he’s in the middle of looking, he has been doing a lot of home improvement,” Hanzo offers at Elio’s defense. 

Jesse huffs to himself.

“Has he replaced the cabinet that fucked up your face?” Gabriel asks. 

“Hey.” Genji snaps. 

“No, not yet,” Elio says through his teeth. Hanzo rubs his side to try and calm him down. 

“You know, since it looks like we’re done with this round,” Olivia pipes up. “Are there any more of the little conchas left?”

The table jumps back up into the fight about whether or not melon pan is the same as conchas. 

Elio taps at Hanzo’s arm to pull his attention from the conversation. 

“Yes, Ellie?”

“I’m tired and I want to go home.”

Hanzo looks at him sympathetically. “Okay. I do not think I will need the house tour anyways,” he says. “Start heading outside and I will meet you after I get a to go plate. Do you want anything?”

“If there’s another crepé? And a rice crispy, please.”

Hanzo nods as Elio stands up from his lap. “I will see. I will be there soon, let me tell Angela that we are leaving.”

Elio thanks him and makes his way to the front of the house. He waits there, watches as the last few stars twinkle their way into the sky. 

“Howdy,” someone greets. It’s the cowboy. 

“Oh, hey,” Elio grumbles. 

“That’s it? You’re usually much friendlier.”

Elio runs his hands through his hair. He was exhausted. “Look, Jesse was it? I’m sorry if I’m not too fun right now.” He looks up at him with a strong glare. He was maybe a half an inch taller than Hanzo, so still short compared to the cowboy. Needless to say the glare wasn’t doing much. “I’ve got a headache and all I want is to go home.”

“Hm.”

“What.”

“...Nothing,” Jesse states. He pulls out a cigar and lights it. 

Elio makes a face. “Can you... not do that right here?”

Jesse doesn’t look at him. “Genji told me to smoke out front. Mei’s got asthma. You, however, can do whatever you’re doing inside.”

Elio rolls his eyes. “Whatever,” he says, as he turns to step inside. “That’s a nasty habit.”

“I’m willin’ to figure that you’ve got nastier,” Jesse shoots back. 

Elio stops and turns back to him. “Excuse me?”

“I said,” Jesse enunciates as he repeats himself, every word sounding wild in his southern drawl. “I am wil-lin’ to fi-gure that you have got nas-ti-er ha-bits.”

“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?” Elio’s cheeks are starting to go ruddy. 

“It means whatever it’s supposed ta. I’m just saying that maybe Hanzo doesn’t deserve the likes of you.”

Elio stares him down for a long time. Jesse takes a pull of his cigar and lets it go into the humid night air. Elio watches before he breaks down into laughter. 

“Oh my fuck— you— ha,” Elio takes another break to just laugh. “You’ve got a crush on Hanzo— I knew it! Just—” he has to hold his stomach to keep from keeling over.

Jesse puffs up on the defensive. “What?! He’s just a friend!”

“Just—! Ha,” Elio snorts. “What the hell would he ever do with you?” Elio points at his entire person. “How the fuck do you think Hanzo will ever be into _that?_ ”

Jesse just grits his teeth. 

“Hanzo’s too good for me, maybe, but he’s most _definitely_ too good for you.” Elio’s sharp, grey eyes twinkle in the porch light. Even when he’s being awful he’s gorgeous. Jesse thinks that maybe he’s got a point. “But hey, maybe if he hits his head again, maybe you’ll have a chance. All he needs is a second concussion.”

“With you around, that’s more likely that you think,” Jesse spits. 

The blonde sobers and his fists clench. “What.”

“You heard me— and maybe that’s not even needed— Hanzo’s mighty comfortable with me around. We go to lunch a lot. Sometimes we go shopping.” Elio just lets him talk. Jesse takes a moment to take another drag and lets it out. “He really likes the mall.”

“What are you saying,” Elio growls. Jesse leans into his face. 

“Who do ya think bought ‘im that dress?”

Suddenly, Elio swings at the cowboy, stiff armed and full bodied. It connects, but Jesse only needs a second to recover. The cowboy takes off his hat and rolls up his sleeves to sock Elio in the chest and then the stomach. Elio tries to knee him, but Jesse kicks that leg from underneath him, and the blonde falls to the ground on his back with a scandalized yelp. Jesse grabs one of his hands and punches him in the face, but Elio’s free hand in his hair yanks hard. Jesse shouts as Elio keeps tugging. 

At this point, their scuffle was heard through the screen of the door, and the hostess is out in a second.

“No— NO!” Angela shouts, trying to pull Jesse off of Elio. Genji is out after her, cursing the entire way, followed by literally everyone else at the party. Hanzo has to push his way through, after his brother shouts at him in Japanese to get his fucking boyfriend. It turns out that, even though Jesse was easy to tear away, Elio was still grappling, so of course Jesse had to get a couple more hits in. 

Hanzo nearly makes it past the threshold of the door when he trips over Gabriel’s foot and takes a spill in front of everyone. 

That gets both of the men to stop fighting immediately. Hanzo rises, throughly humiliated, and brushes off his dress to help his boyfriend off of the ground. 

“Jesse,” Hanzo starts. Jesse looks up at him from the dirt. 

“What, no, you can’t get mad at me! He fucking threw the first punch! You can’t expect me to—”

Hanzo waves him silent. “I do not care. He is smaller than you. You most definitely could have subdued him and have been done with it.” He walks over to the still lit cigar in the grass and stomps it out before it can start anything. He does not look at Jesse. “I am severely disappointed in you and your lack of restraint.”

Jesse wilts as Hanzo leads his boyfriend to their car. He stands up and pushes past everyone in the door with a brief ‘pardon,’ so he can clean off the blood and dirt from his person in the bathroom. 

Hanzo sits Elio in the passenger side and hands him the keys. “I will be back.”

The Shimada returns inside to hastily apologize to Angela and Genji, leaving the to go plate behind. He bows deeply, when Genji tells him to lift his head. 

“It was not your fault, brother. I will see to tomorrow evening. They rerun tonight’s episode then.”

Hanzo thanks them for an excellent evening before returning to the car and getting into the drivers seat. 

The drive back home is mostly quiet. Elio takes the napkin Hanzo thrusted at him when he first got into the car and begins wiping away at his split lip. 

“Thank you for defending me back there.”

Hanzo is dead silent. In fact, he is fuming, starting dead ahead at the street as he drives. 

“What, are you mad?”

“Extremely so,” Hanzo states. 

“Look, it was his fault, he kept—”

“I do not want to talk about it. It was embarrassing.”

Elio blinks in shock. “I _embarrass_ you?” He question, trying to get Hanzo to reel his words back, like he always does.

“Yes! You do. You did.” Hanzo bites back. “You embarrassed me today.”

That was not what Elio was expecting. 

“What...?”

Hanzo stops in front of their drive way and puts The car in park. He takes out the keys and turns towards Elio. 

“How the hell am I supposed to explain that, Elio.” Hanzo throws his hands into the air. “How the hell am I supposed to explain why my boyfriend, who they were _dying_ to get to know better, has no self control? A fight never blows up with them. Anything that escalates is taken care of with passive aggression or adult conversation. Just like with any other group of regularly functioning adult.” He takes out his hair tie and puts it into the same hand as his keys. “Why couldn’t you do that? Why did you have to punch one of my friends? You ruined my brother’s party. When I go back and see these people again they will remember this. They will remember how _shitty_ my boyfriend acted and how he fought one of their friends. How do I explain that?” Hanzo demands. 

Elio, thoroughly chastied, just stares back at Hanzo. “I...”

“You do not know?”

“I don’t.”

Hanzo sniffs once. He refuses to cry now. He is too angry about this to cry. “I do not either.”

The Shimada gets out of the car and briskly makes his way inside. 

Elio eventually follows him into the living room.

“Hanzo, I,” he starts. 

“What? What do you need,” Hanzo turns on him, short.

“I’m sorry.”

Hanzo just stares, eyes sharper than they’ve been all day. 

“I— I can’t help it, and I’m sorry. I don’t mean to be like... this, Hanzo.” Elio’s voice breaks on the end. “I can’t help it, I— I shouldn’t have fought him, he was just... he said things that were about us and I—”

Hanzo stiffens. “What did he say.”

“He... told me I wasn’t good enough for you, and,” Elio’s tears are running now, fast and full down his face. “And I couldn’t stand that— that he was right. I’m not! I’m not good enough for you some times— you’re just so perfect and I can’t stand it. I can’t help—”

Elio breaks down into sobs in the middle of the living room. Hanzo looks up before he puts down his phone and wallet so he can approach his boyfriend. 

“Ellie.”

Elio looks up at him. “I’m sorry,” he chokes. 

Hanzo wraps his arms around his shaking form. “I know.”

“I’m sorry!”

“It is alright. I am still upset, but I understand.”

“Hanzo,” Elio tries again. 

“Hush. We will bathe and then we will go to bed. We’ll talk more in the morning.”

The two of them head upstairs and do exactly that. 

As Hanzo washes Elio’s hair in the shower, he wonders how he’s going to face his friends at work on Tuesday. He wonders how he can approach apologizing to everyone. He makes sure to clean the scrape he got tripping so he could break Elio and Jesse up. 

After their shower, they dress into night clothes and prepare for bed. 

“I’m sorry, Hanzo,” Elio says into Hanzo’s chest. 

Hanzo simply runs his fingers through his sandy curls. 

“We will talk tomorrow.”


	10. Frogs for Kissing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> If Jesse had a tail to wag it would be running at a thousand miles per hour. Hanzo couldn’t help but to smile too. Jesse’s heart skips a beat at the sight of it. 
> 
> Elio might have been better at pinning down how Jesse feels than Jesse is.  
> The cowboy squashes down the thought and uses the energy it created for making everything up to Hanzo.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WOO. Okay.
> 
> This week was wild. Classes started, and this time I have a lot related to my major— have you ever transcribed audio outside of a hobby? It kinda fucking sucks. Spanish is difficult. Hosting is difficult.
> 
> I wouldn’t have it any other way, though.
> 
> Thank you for your patience, thank you for your support < 3, and thank you for commenting.
> 
> No chapter warnings today, other than what could be considered a brief hint at self harm.

They don’t really get a chance to talk about what happened. 

Elio makes breakfast so Hanzo can sleep in, but he leaves early to go grocery shopping. He does leave a note to tell his boyfriend where he went, though. By the time evening rolls around, Hanzo on his way with Genji so they can watch the rerun 90 Day, like they always do. 

When he arrives, Hanzo promptly apologizes to Angela. He’d gone to do his own shopping and places a gift bag on the coffee table for her. 

“You party was beautiful. I apologize for the actions of my partner.”

Angela tells him it’s not his fault. It’s just that everyone now knows that they should keep Jesse and Elio away from each other in the future. He will most definitely enjoy the chocolates and gel pens, though. 

It is a much calmer environment than it was yesterday evening. The brothers laugh and joke as they usually do. They loose track of time, and Hanzo falls asleep there. 

When Hanzo wakes up early the next morning, he’s got several new text messages, 20 from his boyfriend. Hanzo is steadily ignoring the other handful from everyone at the housewarming. Hanzo scrolls through, Elio was worried because he didn’t come home. 

Hanzo asks his brother to drive him back to his house so he can dress and calm his boyfriend down before he has to go to work. 

When Hanzo comes back, Elio comes running down the stairs at the sound of the door. His cheeks are ruddy and his under eyes were puffy, probably from crying so much. 

“Hanzo!” He shouts. Hanzo walks a bit further inside.

“I am so very sorry, Ellie. I fell asleep and my brother chose not to wake me.”

Elio grabs Hanzo by the arm roughly. “I was so seriously worried about you. Why didn’t you answer me? I called you eight times!” He accuses with a shake. 

“I was asleep, please, calm. I have to get dressed for work.”

Elio seems to come to his senses. His hand remains on Hanzo. “Okay. I thought you’d left— okay.” 

“I would never,” Hanzo says gently.

“Okay... okay.” Elio takes a deep breath and smiles. “I’ll see you when you get back?”

He lets Hanzo go so he could get dressed for work. 

It takes two full days for Jesse to show up to Hanzo’s floor and knock on the door to his office.

“Come in,” Hanzo says.

Jesse walks in, hat crushed in his hands, contrite.

“Jesse,” Hanzo murmurs. “Good morning.”

“Mornin’.”

Hanzo looks back down at the work on his table. “Good morning.”

“I just— you didn’t answer any of your messages, and I just... wanted to talk to you face to face.”

Hanzo hums. 

“I’m sorry.”

Hanzo can’t help the sigh the slips through his teeth. He’s been hearing a lot of ‘sorry’s lately. He’s been giving them away often now, too. 

“Look, Hanzo. You have every right to be upset with me, and I sure gave you a good reason to be.”

“Mhm.”

“Now I triple owe you, I know.”

Hanzo finally looks up at Jesse.

“Jesus— Give me _something_ , darlin’. I can’t even begin to think what I could do to fix this.”

“Did you apologize to my brother and Angela?”

“Hm? Yeah. Each time, terrible, but I did it a lot.”

Hanzo nods. “Okay. I forgive you— I am still very pissed, but I do forgive you.”

If Jesse had a tail to wag it would be running at a thousand miles per hour. The cowboy walks right over, grinning the whole way, so wide that Hanzo couldn’t help but to smile too. Jesse’s heart skips a beat at the sight of it. 

Elio might have been better at pinning down how Jesse feels than Jesse is. 

The cowboy squashes down the thought and uses the energy it created for making everything up to Hanzo. 

Jesse starts by buying that tea pot Hanzo was raving about a while back. The blue one, with the little cups. He busts into the Shimada’s office and triumphantly places it on Hanzo’s desk the following week. 

“Jesse!” Hanzo exclaims, eyes sparkling. 

“You like it?”

“Like it— Jesse how much was this?!”

“It don’t matter. Can’t put a price on your happiness, sugar.”

Hanzo picks up one of the cups and gives it a tap— from the store window he’d thought it was ceramic it was actually porcelain, which only makes him worry more about the price. He follows the detail of the embossed leaves and petal along the curve of the cup with his finger. 

He’s enamored.

“Jesse... I cannot express to you how much this means to me.”

Hanzo looks up to Jesse digging his foot into the carpet before him. 

“Aw, well.” Jesse looks up. “You didn’t get this one already, right? They way your talk says—”

Hanzo shakes his head. “No. The one I currently have is metal. This is going to make my lighter teas taste much better.” The tall red one Elio got him also makes any tea taste like iron. He also has to hold it with a potholder so as to not burn himself on the handle. This one is a kyushu—short and squat with a handle that does not connect to the pot twice. Instead it has and open pan-like handle that extends up and out to the side. Since it is also porcelain, in theory, it should be easier to hold.

“Thank you, Jesse. I will treasure this.”

The cowboy pumps his fist. “Woo! One down, two to go!”

Hanzo laughs once, sobered from his reverence of the teapot. “You’re counting!”

“I mean I have to! I keep fucking up so I gotta keep track!”

Hanzo laughs heartily.

Jesse moves on to number 2, two weeks later. He’s been texting Hanzo, nonstop, trying to see when he’s available in the afternoons. Until then, Jesse’s been scouting other gifts and clothes for Hanzo. Even when he’s just out for groceries, he wanders to random isles for something entirely unrelated.

Would Hanzo like it if Jesse cooked him shrimp and tostones? What brand coffee would he like? Does Hanzo even drink coffee in the morning? Jesse’s seen him come back from lunch with an ice coffee, but it’s been hot outside. What would Hanzo...

>Cow Man: Wanna go get coffee tomorrow?  
>Hanny Bee: ok

In between all of this, Jesse’s been a free meal ticket for their lunch dates. 

>Cow Man: Would it count if I took you to the mall food court and got you Sbarros  
>Hanny Bee: probably not but you can try.

Dead malls have never seemed more like paradise. 

Even if the Sears is closing three months from now. Even when Hanzo’s laughing at him for accidentally dropping his hat off the second floor and into the fountain. Especially when Hanzo jogs down the steps and jumps into the coin ridden water to retrieve it. 

“Your pants’re wet now, Han.” Jesse frowns.

Hanzo sits on the lip of the fountain to take off his shoes. “Do not worry, it wasn’t that deep. I do think these socks are ruined for the day...”

Jesse sits next to him. “Fuck! I owe you for that one too then.”

“Do not worry about it!” Hanzo laughs. He picks up Jesse’s hat and shakes some of the water off. “It was not anything I had not done voluntarily.”

Jesse takes the hat back. “Hey, hold on, try this on right fast,” Jesse demands suddenly, and goes to put it on top of Hanzo’s bun. Hanzo flinches and scrambles to get away from him.

“Wait, Jesse that’s wet—” Hanzo says, before subsequently falling backwards into the fountain. Jesse looks back at him, astonished and barely containing his laughter. 

“That looks looks pretty wet, too.”

Hanzo sits up from where his elbows broke his fall and unsticks something from his cardigan. “This is not even a penny.”

“What is it.”

“I cannot tell.”

Jesse helps him out of the water.

“ _Now_ you triple owe me again.”

“No! Damn it!”

Hanzo takes down his hair to try and ring it out before just giving up. Underneath the skylight, next to the shitty lighting of Babbage’s, the water in Hanzo’s inky black hair glitters as it drips onto the linoleum. You could see through Hanzo’s white button down— and hell, Jesse thinks to himself, he’s fit. 

Like, really fit. 

He could see the hint of Hanzo’s tattoo peak out from behind the cardigan. He’d seen nearly all of it when Hanzo wore the dress to the housewarming, but the suggestiveness of it here was entirely different. 

“Whatever. That was refreshing, I can dry off outside. Possibly,” Hanzo sighs before he looks up at his friend. Jesse startles and looks away. 

Hanzo notes how red his ears are and laughs.

“Do not be embarrassed! It was a mistake, Jesse, I am not truly angry. Not over something as simple as this.”

“Y-yeah, okay.”

The next day, Hanzo enters his office to a three pack of black socks and an extra pair of baby blue fuzzy ones. They have little green cartoon dragons on each of the ankles. 

>Hanny Bee: did you put the socks on my desk?  
>Cow Man: Yeah  
>Cow Man: Do you like them  
>Hanny Bee: you are back down to 2.  
>Cow Man: Hell yeah!!!!!!!

Hanzo smiles to himself. He definitely considers the debt repaid. 

A day they’re both available lands on a Friday evening, three weeks later.

They manage to get Genji to tag along, for appearances, and decide to spend the evening at a Joes Crab Shack. Hanzo and Jesse wait for Genji by their cars. Jesse smiles around a cigar as he watches Hanzo. The Shimada is buzzing with excitement, still but full of restless energy. He looks like he’s trying to hold himself back when all he wants to do is harass the servers for fast service and snow crab legs. 

“You’re so eager,” Jesse teases, smoke flowing through his grin. 

“I have been craving crawfish for half a year, Jesse.”

Jesse barks out a laugh and reaches into his pocket for his phone. “I’ll text him and ask where he’s at.”

Hanzo thanks him and crosses his arms. As Jesse’s thumbs fire away, Hanzo leans forward to see what he’s typing. 

“You guys text a lot.”

“Yeah, he’s been asking me to talk to these mechanics I know. I’ve been their back and forth.”

“Just give them each other’s contact information.”

“Naw, the older ones— Rein and Torjborn— they don’t have smart phones. The daughter, Brigitte, is always out; and the youngest, Hana, is really bad at phone calls. Believe it or not, it’s easier this way.”

Hanzo rolls his eyes. “Just tell me you don’t want to do it.”

Jesse looks up, panicked. “I’m tellin’ the truth!”

“Sure,” Hanzo teases, tilding Jesse’s phone down so he can go back to the previous messages screen. 

“What do you have me as on your phone?”

Jesse barely has time to reply before Hanzo’s tapping away on his screen. The cowboy briefly wonders how he’s able to do that while looking at the screen upside down. 

“Is that me? Am I ‘Hanny Bee?’”

Jesse sputters, “I-I, well, that’s what I call you—”

Hanzo tilts his head. “You’ve never called me that.”

“It’s what I call you that in my head...”

Hanzo stares at him before bursting out into laughter. “That’s a very stupid— no, no,” Hanzo covers his mouth. “No, it is a good pun. I like it. Do you know? I have you ‘Cow Man’ in mine.”

Jesse laughs back. “Because you got the word wrong when you first met me.”

Hanzo snickers and takes the cigar fro Jesse’s hand. 

“Yes, English is very weird,” he says before taking a drag. Jesse watches, confused when Hanzo doesn’t even wince at the smoke. 

“Yeah, it sure is... Hanzo, I didn’t know you smoked.”

“I used to.”

Jesse’s brows furrow. “Yeah...?”

“Mostly cigarettes. Never cigars, though.”

“Oh my fuck— Did you guys know that subways could have traffic? That sucked so bad— so sorry for making you guys wait,” Genji rambles, suddenly making himself known. 

Hanzo looks up at his brother. “You should have had Jesse pick you up like he’d offered.”

“You talk too much,” Genji snaps back.

“No, you.”

Jesse guffaws and takes his cigar back.

“You two are a riot,” he says. He turns so he could lead them into the restaurant before the brothers could get stuck arguing outside. He snuffs his cigar out on a light pole on the way. “Come on, lets go eat.”

The three of them are seated at a booth, and the waitress guides them through the specialty drinks of the week.

“Yes, okay, thank you,” Hanzo interrupts. “I am ready to order.”

Genji laughs. “Impatient!”

Hanzo glares and fires off his order, one of the seafood boils with extra crawfish, without even glancing at his menu. After taking down their drink orders as well, the waitress leaves. Genji has one of his signature shit eating grins. 

“Brother, I am surprised at you,” Genji teases. “Your manners have become atrocious. What would father say?”

Hanzo rolls his eyes and takes his water with a ‘thank you’ when the waitress returns. 

“I do not care.”

The younger Shimada whistles so loud that the table next to them looks over. 

“Wow, anija, does your boyfriend like bad boys?”

Hanzo takes a sip from his drink. “I should hope so.”

The brothers snicker at each other. Jesse tries not to bristle at the mention of Elio.

When everything arrives (even Hanzo’s, since he ordered early and the extra crawfish took a bit longer), the cowboy and the younger Shimada watch in awe as Hanzo methodically digs in to the boil. Hanzo cracks apart leg after leg, barehanded. He really only used the crackers on the claws.

“Woah, there,” Jesse says reverently. “It’s not going nowhere. No one‘s gonna to take your plate.”

“Do not stare.” Hanzo says between bites. “Your food is going to get cold.”

Genji takes his fork to pick at his fish rice, still watching his brother make quick work of his boil. 

“Hanzo, the shells don’t cut you?”

Hanzo laughs once. “You have seen me do worse to myself. This is nothing.”

Genji had to stifle a pained laugh behind his hand. It was a funny joke, but it wasn’t fun to laugh about. Jesse looks at him as if to ask ‘what the hell does that mean?’ The younger Shimada shrugs him off.

Hanzo looks at Jesse. “Did you want any?”

Jesse gives him a tight smile and starts cutting into his sirloin. “I’m fine, thank you.”

“Are you sure? Because I am about to ask you for some of your steak.”

Jesse lifts his knife to look down at his plate and back up at Hanzo. “Are you sure, I got it pretty pink...”

Hanzo puts out one of the appetizer plates in front of the cowboy and lifts a brow. 

“Is it rare?”

“I didn’t order nothin’ blue, but,” Jesse starts. Genji laughs into his napkin, cutting him off. 

“You don’t get it, cowboy, if he could order the cow still mooing, he would.”

Jesse shrugs and cuts up a piece of the sirloin and puts it on Hanzo’s plate. 

“This is your last chance, Cow Man. Would you like a crab leg?”

Jesse shakes his head. “Don’t worry about it none. This is your treat.”

“Can I get some Hanzo?”

“No, you are getting fat,” Hanzo snaps back, already loading up a appetizer with a little bit of everything for him. 

Genji brightens. “Thank you, Anija,” he exclaims, roping an arm around his brother where he sits beside him, landing a sloppy kiss on his cheek. Hanzo elbows him in the chest, but Genji only gets a giggle in response. 

When they finish their meal, they call the waitress for their cheques. Jesse pays for Hanzo and himself and Hanzo switches his card out for Genji’s when his brother isn’t looking. 

Hanzo gets a to-go cup of water before they leave and Jesse passes around sticks of cinnamon gum. As they walk out into the warm night air, Genji lets out a long groan.

“What, Genji.” Hanzo prompts. 

“I don’t wanna take the subway back...”

“I could... drive you back?” Jesse offers. 

Genji raises his hands. “I don’t want to be a bother, thank you.”

Jesse pops his gum. “Why don’t you call your girlfriend?”

Genji shakes his head. “I couldn’t. Angel has a long shift.”

Hanzo blinks. “I could drive—”

“I don’t wanna be a bother, thank you.”

Hanzo and Jesse stare at him for a beat.

“Ugh, the subway is gonna really suck.”

Hanzo takes a deep breath and hands his water to his brother. “Goodnight, Genji,” he says, firmly. 

“Goodnight cowboy. Goodnight, brother,” Genji says, giving his brother a tight hug and Jesse a punch to the shoulder. 

“Night, Genji,” Jesse waves. Hanzo smiles as he watches his brother walk away. Genji suddenly turns around back to them, and points at his brother. Hanzo’s smile is gone, instantly, substituted with high eyebrows and an impassive face. 

“Hanzo, do not forget. I’m gonna get you back for paying for my dinner. Don’t act like I didn’t see it!”

Hanzo gives him a snarky look that says, ‘sure you will.’ Genji sticks out his tongue and walks right off. 

Hanzo’s smile when he turns right back around is brighter than before. 

“You sure is cute when you smile,” Jesse lets slip. Hanzo snickers. 

“I know.”

Jesse snorts and starts walking them to their cars. “How have you been?”

Hanzo let’s out a breath. “I’ve been well.”

“That new office taking care of you pretty good?”

Hanzo grins. “Yes. I love the windows. It is fun to look down on people.”

Jesse laughs once. “That’s on brand.”

Hanzo huffs and reaches into his pocket for the receipt for Genji’s meal to spit his gum into. Jesse reaches in his pocket to do the same. As he does so, he feels his lighter takes it and the cigar from earlier out of his pockets. 

“Hey, Hanzo?”

“Yes.”

“Have you really been okay?”

Hanzo looks up at him. “How do you mean?”

“Like... with your boyfriend and all that.” Jesse says around the cigar and he lights it. 

Hanzo nods, understanding now. “We are fine. We have talked about it... a little. He has been better as of late. I... also wanted to apologize again about his behavior at the party. I cannot express how sorry I am for the way he’d acted towards you.”

Jesse’s brows furrow. “That wasn’t your fault, doll,” he placates. “I just wanted to know if he—“

“Nothing has happened,” Hanzo interrupts. 

“Nothing?” Jesse asks, letting out a lung full of smoke. 

“Nothing since the cabi—“

“Since he broke your nose. You’re gonna honest with me, Han.”

Hanzo’s brown eyes go sharp. “No. Nothing since he broke my nose.”

“Hm.”

Admitting that that happened made Hanzo’s stomach feel bitter. It put scenes from entire 9 hour experience, from the break to that argument with Elio, on repeat in his mind. He didn’t want to think about that. Hanzo stuffs his hands into his pockets with a soft sigh. Why did Jesse make him think about that? 

“Sorry,” the cowboy says softly. “That was harsh.”

Hanzo shrugs. He doesn’t look up until Jesse puts his hand on his face to lift his chin up. 

“Hanzo...”

Hanzo stares at him impassively. 

“You know I’m just worried about you.”

Hanzo’s eyes soften. He brings his hand up and places it where Jesse’s hand rests on his face. 

“You are kind to me. I am fine, there is no need to worry about me.”

Jesse offers a small, crooked smile back. “That’s asking too much from me, darlin’.”

Hanzo laughs lightly. It makes something inside of Jesse feel sore as he runs his thumb under Hanzo’s eyes, where the skin was so dark and blue several weeks ago.

Hanzo blinks at him. “You look like you have a question.”

“When...” Jesse bites his lip. He doesn’t know if he should even ask. 

“Go on.”

“When are you going to... breakup with him?”

Hanzo leans back. “I do not believe I discussed anything like that, with you or anyone.”

“You should really start thinking about it,” Jesse says tersely. 

“I did. I found it not an idea worth entertaining.”

“What— why?“

“I love him.”

Jesse takes his hand back and takes his hat off so he could run it through his his hair. “Jesus H. Christ, it’s like talking to... to...”

“A wall?”

“Naw, but it’s pretty fuckin’ close.”

Hanzo crosses his arms. “We have already discussed it together. He just has a difficulty managing a lot of his emotions.” 

“That’s rich— He broke your nose.”

“He has not done anything since then! And I trust him not to anymore.”

“Listen to what I am saying. You’re not with someone who’s healthy for you right now.”

Hanzo’s gaze is just a glare now. “You have no place to be talking about healthy relationships. Reyes is not good for you either.”

Jesse almost tugs out his own hair. “Gabe doesn’t fucking hit me or my friends.”

Hanzo flinches. He screws his mouth up, as if something acrid was on his tongue, and averts his eyes from Jesse’s face. The cigar crackles as Jesse takes a drag. The two of them stand in weighty silence underneath the parking lot lights. Hanzo watches as a family leave their car across from them and walk into the restaurant.

“Sorry.”

Hanzo shakes his head. “No, no. You are... right.”

The cowboy puts his hat back on and uncrosses Hanzo’s arms so he can pull him closer by the hand. 

“Hanzo,” Jesse starts. “With that man, it ain’t a matter of ‘if’ anymore. You really got me worried, darlin’.”

Hanzo rests his head on Jesse’s shoulder. Jesse drops the cigar and stomps it out. He’d let it run out while they were talking, what a shame. He wraps his arms around Hanzo. 

“I am sorry.”

“That’s not your fault either.”

“Hm.”

Jesse looks down at his face. Hanzo was staring off past his shoulder. Jesse doesn’t want to see him like this, torn like this. 

Jesse wanted to fix it. 

Was Jesse enough to fix it?

“Hey, um... Hanzo?”

Hanzo looks up from his shoulder. “Yes?”

“Can I... can I kiss you?”

Hanzo blinks before laughing once. “That is off topic.”

“Just once, sugar.”

Hanzo’s smile fades. “I have never been asked for a kiss before.”

“Look, I can go on and on about why your boyfriend is shitty. It’s just a yes or no question.”

“Jesse...”

“That’s fine.”

Jesse runs his hand across his friends back before starting to let go of the embrace. Hanzo’s hands fly up to keep Jesse’s arms around himself. Jesse pauses to see what’s wrong. 

“Just one.”

Jesse looks almost shocked.

“Are y'sure?”

Hanzo holds him even tighter and nods. 

“Hurry, before I change my mind.”

Jesse doesn’t have to be told twice. He leans down so his breath ghosts over Hanzo’s cheek.

“Just one,” Jesse verifies. 

“One.”

Jesse lets their lips meet. Hanzo is just as bossy when it comes to kissing as he is with everything else. It almost feels like he’s pushing Jesse into leading the kiss, as if to say ‘you wanted this, now take responsibility.’ 

Jesse almost lets him go after a courteous amount of time, but Hanzo parts his lips and grabs the back of Jesse’s head to deepen their kiss. Jesse startles but does not stop— he’s been dreaming of this for too long. 

The whole experience tasted like Jesse’s cigar and his cinnamon gum. Hanzo, smoke and cinnamon. That's what was burning into his memory right now as Hanzo runs his tongue along the roof of Jesse’s mouth. As Hanzo pulls at his bottom lip with his teeth. As Hanzo moves his hands from the back of his head to the base of his neck. 

When they part for air, Hanzo almost leans back in again. Jesse was ready for him, but Hanzo takes a step back instead. He does keeps his hands on Jesse’s arms, as if Jesse’s the one who needs holding together. 

The cowboy will admit though, after _that_ , he did feel like falling apart. He needed to be braced like that. 

“Jesse?”

Jesse’s hands cradle Hanzo’s face. “Y-yeah, sweetheart?”

“I...” Hanzo closes his eyes and breathes. “I do not think we should see each other anymore.”

Jesse stands up straight. “Huh?”

“I am still very much in a happy relationship,”

“You aren’t serious.”

“I am still in a happy relationship, and I do not want to risk that.”

“Hanzo.”

“I am sorry, Jesse.”

“I...” Jesse shifts his feet. “You can’t possibly be thinking of spending the rest of your life with Elio, Hanzo, I—you— You’re not seriously considering... marrying... that man, right?”

Hanzo looks down and tucks his hands back into his pockets. “If he asked...”

“You are not serious!”

“I am. That is why we can no longer see each other. I am sorry.” Hanzo takes his keys out and unlocks his car.

“Hanzo, don’t—”

“Goodbye, Jesse.”

Hanzo doesn’t give Jesse the chance to say anything else as he steps into his car. Jesse steps back as he backs out of his parking spot and drives off. 

It was a familiar feeling, watching Hanzo drive home to someone dangerous. This kind of helplessness wasn’t anything he hadn’t felt before, just a different person on a different day, he figures. 

He can’t fix this one either. 

Jesse takes out his phone and shoots a text to Gabriel to see if he could spend the night. 

Hanzo walks into his house, and Elio greets him from where he stands in the living room. 

“How was the crab shack,” Elio asks. 

Hanzo drops his brief case, takes off his jacket, and makes a beeline for his boyfriend. Elio lets out a startled puff of air when Hanzo throws his arms around him. He gets to let out half of a laugh when Hanzo kisses him deeply. Elio reaches up to take down Hanzo’s bun and runs his fingers through his hair, causing him to shiver. 

They part for a moment before Hanzo kisses Elio’s cheek, pecks him once more on the lips, and lets him go with a sigh. 

“Not that I didn’t love that but, what was that all about?” Elio asks, face flushed. Hanzo smiles gently at him in return. 

“I just wanted another kiss.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m taking down the author’s note. I received a terrible, terrible racist comment on it. It included alm rhetoric, the use of the n word, xenophobic language towards the Chinese, as well as a bunch of other stuff. All in the same comment. It was wild. I deleted it immediately, no one should have had to have seen it. 
> 
> Comments are now restricted, just letting you all know. I hate censorship, but I do not want baiting like that here. 
> 
> I also have a beta reader now :,) I love her and she is so good at revising for me. She also helped me figure out the progression of the rest of the story. She’s the best. This also means that the chapters may be delayed a day or two from what I have intended. We both are very busy, and our schedules don’t always align. It does mean less typos and better scenes.


	11. In My Throat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They don’t dress up too fancy, they walk around after dinner. It’s just a good night. 
> 
> In all honesty, Hanzo’s not just celebrating the new job. He’s celebrating the fact that they won’t have to arguments over that for a long time. Not the job, not Jesse. 
> 
> He toasts to the empty room. 
> 
> Here’s to a season of peace, their happily ever after.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter warnings: blatant invasion of privacy, use of the word f*ggt by a gay character, and graphic manual throttling and drowning.
> 
> Hey haha sorry for taking so long
> 
> I had this chapter finished two weeks ago, gave it to my beta reader who said that I needed to fix the timing— and yeah she was right. So I tried to fix it... and then I had midterms. Lmao.
> 
> I’m nearly sure that there are two more chapters to go.
> 
> Also??? Thanks for being so patient. Your comments have been so understanding and I really appreciate each and everyone.

Going back to work the following Monday was... fine. Strangely enough. He got breakfast with Amèlie and worked aggressively throughout the day. If he worked hard enough, he wouldn’t even notice that no one came by for lunch. It did mean forgetting to get his phone fixed. Remembering meant going to the mall. He didn’t even want to think about why he didn’t want to go there. 

He was already getting pointed glares from Gabriel whenever he passed courier’s office in the lobby. That was reminder enough throughout the week. 

By the end of the week, he was sure he was satisfied with his decision. Things have never been better with his boyfriend. Thursday, Elio suddenly greets him with a bear hug, squeezes him tight around the waist and spins him once, twice, and half once more. Hanzo gasps and then erupts into a giggle fit. It was obviously very contagious, since Elio is snickering too.

“What brings this on, Ellie?” Hanzo laughs. Elio presses kisses into his cheek and neck before he says anything else. 

“I bet you can’t guess! Come on. Guess. It’s great news.”

Hanzo pulls away from the embrace to gesture like he’s thinking exaggeratedly.

“Hm... Did you find another discount store?”

“That’s what you would like.”

“Right. Sorry... you managed to find the 53rd best seller half price?”

“No— but it is book related.”

“You got your hands on the 52 best seller at half price.”

”C’mon. Don’t be stupid.”

Hanzo barks out a laugh. “Alright. Tell me, you have my attention.”

Elio titters for a moment, hesitant, before shoving a brown apron at him.

“Look!”

Hanzo’s eyebrows perk as he reads the label on the apron. 

“A book store? You got the job?”

Elio shrugs and scuffs the floor with one of his keds. “I mean it’s nothing serious but—”

Hanzo shakes his head and pulls him back into a hug. “Nonsense. This is excellent. I am so proud of you.”

Elio flushes, even darker once Hanzo plants a kiss on his cheek. “Yeah?”

Hanzo nods. “Of course. We should celebrate. What should we do? Where should we go?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, we have to go out to celebrate. Where? I will treat you.”

Elio decides on a night out at Olive Garden. Hanzo tries to suggest the locally owned Italian restaurant a couple of streets over, but Elio doesn’t want real Italian food. He just saw a commercial about the baked stuffed ziti and he wants the inspiration. 

They don’t dress up too fancy, they walk around after dinner. It’s just a good night. 

In all honesty, Hanzo’s not just celebrating the new job. He’s celebrating the fact that they won’t have to arguments over that for a long time. Not the job, not Jesse. 

When he enters the kitchen to get a glass of water before bed, he toasts to the empty room. 

Here’s to a season of peace, their happily ever after. 

The following week finds Hanzo snuggled up to his boyfriend as they watch a documentary. Hanzo asked if they could do something a bit mindless for a change and Elio suggested watching a movie or something. Hanzo tells him to pick something out. They settle on a flat earth documentary. 

Hanzo lays on Elios chest, sipping from a mug of some kind of red tea his brother bought him a year ago. He tried to hide the price and ruined the label in doing so, and now he couldn’t tell what kind it was— it wasn’t something he’d had before, and it wasn’t some cheap raspberry zinger box he’d seen in American stores. It was actually really good, so he hope Genji remembers the brand.

Elio had his arm around him. His snack of choice that evening was his classic white chocolate on popcorn. Hanzo has a separate bowl of just regular buttered, but he was too into the documentary to want to eat too much of it. 

“You said you have seen this one before?” Hanzo asks. Elio nods. 

“Yeah. Do you have any thoughts?”

“I do believe in questioning for answers, but...” Hanzo leans forward to put his mug down on the coffee table. “These men have preformed the same test in different environments and have gotten the same answer. The Earth is round. I do not know what else they could possibly want.”

“What they want is to believe. They’ve been looking for this truth for so long that they want it to be real.”

“They just want to be right.”

“Yeah? And what’s wrong with that?”

“They are wasting their time, energy, and effort for something fake. They should just give up.”

Elio laughs aloud. “Well, since you liked this part so much, your gonna love the test they do at the end. It’s gonna be hilarious.”

Hanzo laughs quietly, “sure,” and leans back onto Elio’s chest. He lets out a yawn and closes his eyes. The week was just started and he was already exhausted. 

“Lovely?”

Hanzo starts, suddenly awake again, taking the bowl with him, causing a bunch of the kernels to go flying. Elio laughs into his fist. 

“That was cute.”

Hanzo rubs at his own face once. “Did I miss anything?”

“Only the whole second half of the docu.”

“Sorry.”

“Don’t be so dramatic, it’s just a movie.”

Hanzo shakes his head and picks something out of Elio’s curls. “I got popcorn in your hair,” he clarifies. “Sorry.”

“Really?” Elio reaches for the top of his head tentatively. “Oh, yeah. I guess you did.” He takes one and pops it into his mouth. Hanzo snorts. 

“Gross!”

“It’s still good! Besides, you washed my hair, if it’s gross then it’s your fault!”

Hanzo has to concede to that one. Elios snickers. Hanzo smiles back, but gets interrupted by a yawn. Elio huffs fondly and pats the top of his head once. 

“Let’s get you to bed. You seem tired.”

“Yes... You go ahead,” Hanzo says. “I’ll clean this up and meet you upstairs.”

Elio shrugs. “Alrighty. Come up soon, okay?”

“Okay,” Hanzo nods as he picks up the bowls. Elio takes them to the kitchen for him on his way up. 

Elio wakes up that night to the sound of one of the phones charging on their end table. 

Hanzo lays underneath him, arms tight around his waist. Elio runs his hands along Hanzo’s arms. His stomach goes fuzzy thinking about the way Hanzo had held him earlier in the evening. Hanzo has been so affectionate lately. Last night, th two of them had fallen into bed together, as they usually did, and Hanzo was so needy—It was adorable. Elio looks up at his face. He’s adorable when he sleeps too.

Elio sighs a smile and runs through the events of the evening once again. 

He was adorable when Elio rode him too. 

The blond unwraps Hanzo’s arms from himself and rolls out of bed. He finds Hanzo’s pair of underwear on the floor and slips them on so he can grab a cup of water from the sink. He checks himself in the mirror while he’s in the bathroom. 

He needs a haircut and bangs were getting too long. Maybe he could get his boyfriend to do it. He’ll ask this weekend. 

Elio uses the toilet, washes and dries his hands and makes his way back to bed. One of the phones chimes again. 

Elio picks his phone up, the heavy duty grippy case fit comfortably in his hand. 

It was 4 am and it looks like it wasn’t his phone that went off. He sits on the edge of the bed and puts his phone back on the charger. Hanzo’s phone goes off again. Elio picks it up, the case on this one was much thinner and fashionable. It chimes once again. 15 unread messages, 8 from a blocked number. 

Elio picks it up and tries to unlock it. 

Why doesn’t he know his boyfriend’s password? They should have a conversation about that later. 

Hanzo lets out a loud snore. Elio looks over at him. He takes his hand runs it through his inky black tresses. 

“Sleeping beauty,” Elio murmurs to himself. He runs his hand down Hanzo’s face, over his clavicle, across his chest, down his arm, and takes his hand. Elio takes his boyfriend’s ring finger and places a kiss upon it. 

Soon, maybe. They’ll have a conversation about that, too. 

Next he takes Hanzo’s index finger and places it on the home button of his phone. It unlocks. Elio places his hand hand back onto his chest. 

Elio opens the messaging app and scrolls through the most recent ones. 

All of the ones from his brother are completely in Japanese, characters and all. It was too late in the night to even consider downloading translator app onto his own phone just to understand the stuff on his boyfriend’s. 

Next he goes through the recent messages from the blocked number. Really, it’s just a bunch of ‘I’m sorry’ and ‘it really shouldn’t end like this’ with a little bit of ‘please’ in the mix.

>Blocked: I shouldn’t have done that  
>Blocked: I’m not gonna again  
>Blocked: Please, I miss you  
>Blocked: What do I do

Not a lot of context there. 

Elio fiddles with the settings of the app absent mindedly, and comes across the recently deleted messages tab. There are a bunch of spam and promotional messages from 4 to 5 digit numbers. At the very top, however, is a conversation from rather plain 10 digit number. Elio opens it. 

>You: i am in the parking lot  
>You: will you be here soon?  
>Blocked: Yeah, I’m just around the corner  
>You: do not text and drive  
>Blocked: I’m at a stop light

That was little more than two weeks ago. Hm. 

As he scrolls through, he finds that there are many other messages. Most of it was light conversation. Nothing to be worried about, Elio would think, if it weren’t for some very interesting points in conversation. 

Sbarros at the mall. Those blue dragon socks that Hanzo started wearing around lately. Lots and lots of lunch invitations. Thinly veiled threats against cabinet doors.

Profuse ‘thank you’s from Hanzo about a tea pot.

Elio remembers a conversation they’d had a month ago. 

“Oh that’s pretty. Are you starting a collection?”

Hanzo was looking around for a box of oolong leaves so he could drink something before bed. 

“I would like one, yes.”

Elio lifts the lid carefully to observe the art work. “Wow. It’s so nice—where’d you get this one?”

“It was the one I’d been looking at from the mall.”

“The one... you work by?”

Hanzo looks up for a moment before shaking his head. He pulls out his chain diffuser and closes the drawer.

“No. That one only has the cheeper stores, none of the specialty shops. This is from the big fancy one from uptown. The one with the Barnes and Nobles.”

Elio puts the lid back on the pot. At the moment he’d thought nothing of it.

He keeps scrolling up to confirm his thoughts. 

Hanzo calls this person ‘cowboy’ couple of times. 

Oh, that’s interesting. Why does he have Jesse blocked? Not that Elio minds, in fact he really likes the idea, but... why?

This was supposed to just be a quick check to see who was bothering them so late at night. Now Elio has to do some serious digging. What a pain. 

Elio flicks back to the untrashed blocked messages decides to reads the rest of them, as well as the two others that just came in. Since the ones in the bin start earlier in the month, the groveling wasn’t because of the fight. In fact, they’d been talking a lot since the housewarming, so it was something way after that. Something that’d happened recently. 

>Blocked: Was it because I asked you?  
>Blocked: I would have stayed if you said no

Elio scrolls back further. 

>Blocked: I won’t talk about him no more  
>Blocked: Promise  
>Blocked: Hanny Bee, please

There is almost fifty of this type of message in total, just from last week. Yikes. He scrolls back even further, as far as possible. The semi-transparent scroll bar smashes against the top of the screen once it reaches the first messages since Jesse started groveling. 

>Blocked: Did you make it home safe?  
>Blocked: Hanzo please  
>Blocked: For what it’s worth that was the best kiss I’ve had in a while  
>Blocked: That wasn’t appropriate.  
>Blocked: Sorry.

Elio hurls the phone against the wall.

Hanzo jolts, half awake, at the sound. Elio shushes him back to sleep, running his hand through his hair to soothe him. 

“Sorry, Lovely. I dropped something.”

“Hm. Come back to bed, please.”

Elio nods. “Let me get a glass of water, first.”

The blonde rises to collect Hanzo’s phone. He sneers at the glass, places the phone back on the the night stand, and crawls back into bed. 

The next morning, Hanzo wakes up to his alarm. He looks next to the space himself in bed to see that Elio is already out of bed. Hanzo lifts his head from his pillow and stretches before grabbing his phone to turn it off. Once he picks it up, however, he sees that the screen is completely destroyed. He has to keep the screen face up because the glass is threatening to fall.

“Ellie?” He calls. He gets up, still holding the phone, and walks to the bathroom where the light is still lit. “Ellie, babe?”

Elio is brushing his teeth. He spits before turning around to look at him. 

“Yeah?”

“Do you... do you know what happened to my phone?”

Elio takes a towel and wipes his mouth. His face is contrite. 

“Oh— I’m so sorry, Lovely, I dropped it last night. I meant to tell you myself.”

Hanzo frowns a looks down at it. “It is... alright. I will just get the screen replaced during lunch.”

“I can pay for it, if you want. They like me at the bookstore, I passed the trial week. I’ll be working full hours, starting Friday, I can pay for it.”

Hanzo brightens up. “Oh! That is wonderful— but no. Do not worry about it. I just wanted to know.”

“Okay... Sorry, baby.”

“Do not worry. Do you want anything specific for breakfast?”

“Can you poach me an egg?”

Hanzo nods and makes his way downstairs. Elio’s face falls into one of contempt as soon as Hanzo turns around. 

As Hanzo cooks breakfast for the two of them, Elio meets him in the kitchen a bit later. He starts gathering supplies for tea. Hanzo notices and starts to take out the kyusu, but pauses before changing it for the red iron pot instead. Elio notices and his heart flutters deep in his chest, despite the anger that resides there. 

“Do you want me to get the Earl Grey?”

Hanzo hums. “That sounds wonderful this morning. I am... very tired.”

Elio grins and as Hanzo starts boiling some water in the pot. 

Later in the week, Elio picks Hanzo up from work, and the two of them stop at a shopping strip downtown before they retire home. 

“They repair phones around here, I think,” Elio offers, pointing at a various electronics accessory and repair shop. 

Hanzo looks at the sign. It’s kind of shady, and if they fuck up his phone the warranty would be void. 

“I do not think I should ask them...”

Elio pushes him towards the shop. “Just go ask for an estimate, it couldn’t hurt.”

Hanzo nods with a sigh and starts walking towards the store, pausing when Elio starts walking in the completely opposite direction. 

“Ellie?”

“Oh! I don’t want to go in with you.”

Hanzo furrows his brow. “Why not?”

“Cause... it looks boring. I’d rather go look at the other spots. There’s a soap store, like, right over there— don’t pout. Fix your face.”

“Sorry.”

“Anyway, good luck,” Elio salutes. 

Hanzo watches the blond off towards the rest of the strip. He huffs and turns and walks into the shop to get the verdict on his phone. 

The man inside is barely interested in Hanzo as he walks in. He has tap the bell in front of the man where he fiddles with a watch battery. 

Turns out, it was wildly expensive to replace there. The clerk said that it was because Hanzo was two models behind, so that screen was on it’s way to being discontinued anyways. 

As the man explains, Hanzo discreetly searches the price for the screen. It is expensive, but it’s nowhere near as high as the man is suggesting. He knew it, this place has scam written all over it. 

Hanzo tells the man no thank you. 

He leaves, frustrated, and then waits outside of the shop for his boyfriend. He doesn’t feel like shopping at the moment. Eventually, Elio comes back with bags of baths stuffs, walks right past him and into the car. 

Their evening is planned, it seems.

When they get back, Elio takes out a couple of Tupperware bowls from the refrigerator. They had a lot of leftovers, so they were going to be eating the rest of the lasagna from yesterday. 

Hanzo sets the table as Elio warms the food up. 

“How much was your phone screen?” Elio asks. Hanzo shakes his head. 

“I did not get it. It is cheaper to go somewhere else, but I think I’ll just buy a new one.”

Elio frowns. “I’m _so_ sorry, Lovely. I reall didn’t mean to.”

“Do not worry,” Hanzo waves him off. “Let us eat.”

The two of them do just that, and when they finish, Elio starts to do the dishes. 

Hanzo nudges him. “I will finish this. Can you draw a bath?“

“Hm? Okay, I guess.” Elio nods. 

By the time Hanzo walks into the bathroom, the tub is nearly full. Elio holds up his assortment of bath stuffs.

“Hey, what kind of bath do you want?”

“What do you suggest? Nothing too sweet, please.”

Elio goes through his soaps. “I like the sage bath salts, the ylang ylang bubble bar... and the bar that smells kinda like citrus.”

Hanzo points at the citrus one. Elio breaks off half of it and starts to crumble it underneath the faucet. Hanzo coos as the water begins to froth.

The two of them undress. Elio steps into the water and sits with his back against the wall without the faucet and holds his arms out for Hanzo.

“Come here, I wanna hold you.”

Hanzo smiles and sits into his lap.

Elio takes a handful of water and runs it down Hanzo’s back. Hanzo shivers and takes one of their washcloths and hands it to Elio. The blond rolls his eyes good naturedly and wets it to run down Hanzo’s back. 

“Are you ready to go to work this weekend?”

Elio nods. He dips the wash cloth and runs it over Hanzo’s shoulders. “I’m pretty excited.”

Hanzo smiles and places his arms around his neck. “I am glad. I want a discount on the 54th best seller.”

“You’re obsessed,” Elio laughs. “I’ll see what I can do.”

Hanzo hums and rests his head on his shoulder. He presses a gentle kiss there. Elio continues to bathe him. 

“How’s your work been,” Elio asks. Hanzo lifts his head, eyebrows raised. 

“You normally do not ask me about that.”

Elio rolls his eyes, a little bit less good naturedly this time. “Whatever, Hanzo. I just wanted to talk.”

Hanzo sits back and takes the shampoo from the shelf and squirts some into his hand to run through blond curls. Elio melts as he takes a bit of water to get the shampoo to sud.

“Sorry. Work has been fine, thank you for asking.”

Elio huffs, grumpy, but still enjoys Hanzo’s hands in his hair. 

“Lean back for me, Anata.”

Elio does so and Hanzo cups his hands to rinse Elios hair. 

“Thanks.”

Hanzo presses a kiss to his cheek and gets started on the conditioner. Elio closes his eyes and lets him manage his hair. When Hanzo finishes, he places his arms back around Elio’s neck. Elio smiles sleepily back at him, laughs when Hanzo presses his head back into his shoulder, as if he’s asking him to wash his hair too. Elio grabs the shampoo and starts on his hair, earning a kiss on his shoulder from Hanzo. As he washes Hanzo’s hair, Elio receives more kisses.

“How’s your brother?”

“Hm?” Hanzo raises his head. “I appreciate your concern for him, but I do not want to talk about him while I am naked with you.”

“Okay, okay, sorry,” Elio laughs, eerily natural, eyes narrowed. “What about Jesse?”

“Hm?”

Elio’s grip around his waist tightens.

“You know? Your coworker. You two are so... close. You’re such good friends, I am just so... glad that you have such good... friends at your job.” 

Elio cups his hands under the water and pours it down down the back of Hanzo’s head. Hanzo shivers. 

“He is fine.”

“Fine?”

“Yes.”

“What’s he been up to?”

Hanzo shrugs.

“You don’t know?”

“No.”

“Hm... okay.”

Elio tries to finish washing Hanzo’s hair. The Shimada relaxes for a moment, closes his eyes to the feeling of fingers scratching against his scalp, when Elio takes a handful of black tresses and yanks his head back. Hanzo bites back a shout.

“You fucking liar,” Elio spits. “Do you think I’m stupid?”

“Of course not, Ellie,” Hanzo says.

“You must think I’m stupid, I asked you months ago about that fake ass, white trash cowboy faggot. You said no, no fling.”

“I never lied.”

That earns him another yank. “Stop it! I saw! I saw him texting you!”

Hanzo lifts his hands to Elio’s face to try and calm him down. “I have cut off all communication with him. I want you.”

“The teapot and, and, and the,” Elio growls, “that fucking _dress_ —“

“Elio, please don’t do this again. I just want a bath.”

“You kissed him.”

Hanzo puts his hands into his lap.

“You say you want me but then go and do shit like that—“

“Please,” Hanzo starts. Elio lets go of his hair abruptly. 

“You’re disgusting. Why am I even touching you?”

Hanzo feels his stomach drop. “Ellie,” he pleads. His throat feels heavy. 

“You’re a dirty fucking whore and I can’t believe I let you get away with this.” He pushes Hanzo off of his lap. “You really thought you could have your cake and eat it too. Get the fuck off of me.”

Hanzo scrambles to get back into his arms. “No! Elio I— all I want is you, I love you, do not—“

The blonde shoves him this time, rough enough to make him stumble back with a violent splash. Hanzo coughs as he sits up so his shoulders are out of the water. Elio gets up into a kneel so he’s above him. 

“A dirty fucking liar.”

“Ellie, I’m—”

“Don’t call me that. You’re lucky we’re in a bath tub.”

“Anata, please, I’m not lying, ple—”

Elio lunges at him, hands around Hanzo’s neck, and dunks him in the water. Hanzo braces himself, arms out across the tub as Elio chokes him. Hanzo tries to knock him off as Elio’s grip tightens and tries to get him below the water.

“Get in the water! You’re dirty! You’re a disgusting fucking whore! Get—” Elio gives him a forceful shake. Hanzo can’t speak now, face red, but is still trying to fight against being forced under the surface. His mouth puffs air uselessly, useless because barely anything is returning through his windpipe. He sputters out something close to Elio’s name, but it dissolves into a gargle when some of the water from their thrashing manages to get into his mouth. 

“Shut up, that’s nasty. You’re nasty! I should just fucking leave your ass.”

Hanzo tenses at that and lets his hands slip. He lets Elio force his head under the surface— he didn’t want Elio to leave! Hanzo’s given up so much for him! Nights out at the bar with his brother, weekend bunch with Amèlie, holiday parties with his friends, any and all time for Jesse— he’s packed up all of it and gave it to Elio. 

Hanzo will give up more if he has to. 

He’ll give up more. 

He’ll give up more time. He’ll give up Sundays afternoons with Genji. He’ll wake up earlier to eat breakfast at home. He’ll call Elio for lunch. It’ll just be Hanzo, alone in his office, eating his crappy store bought bento, with Elio on speaker. 

Hanzo reaches up to grasp at the hands at his neck so he could tell him. His lungs protest the concept of expending the extra energy. 

Elio doesn’t let up, not even at the thud of Hanzo’s head at the bottom of the tub. Hanzo’s stopped struggling now, his hands still touching, scratching around Elio’s where they wrap around his throat, and listens to the muffled sounds of Elio screaming through the water. He opens his eyes (when did he close them?) and stares at his boyfriend through the suds, ripples, and spots of his vision. 

He looks angelic, Hanzo thinks briefly. 

Elio’s hands continue to crush his his windpipe.

Hanzo decides here that, yes, he will give it all up. Right here, right now, if it meant Elio wouldn’t leave. He’s past the point of no return, he can’t stop now. He can’t lose this, he’s got all his cards on the table, all of his eggs in this basket. He’s committed so much here, he can not loose. He’ll give it all up. 

Elio gives him another shake. Hanzo doesn’t react. 

He’ll give it all up. Even this. 

Hanzo jolts awake with a start. 

His eyes feel like they’re pasted shut. When he lifts his hands to rub the gunk from his eyes he feels the scrape of the pavement beneath him. He quickly tries to wipe at his face so he can open his eyes, and once they focus he realizes with a start that he’s in the backyard, on the back porch. Hanzo sits up immediately. 

He’s on the back porch. 

Hanzo tries to get up and realizes that he can feel the pavement all over, in every place his body makes contact with the floor. 

He’s naked on the back porch. 

Hanzo tries to lift himself again, legs wobbly. He’s hunched over, his chest and stomach scream acutely, but he half walks and half crawls over to the door. He falls once or twice— but he makes it. He leans against the glass and tries to open the door. 

It doesn’t budge. 

Hanzo tries to force the door open. Sometimes it gets stuck and needs a little bit of elbow grease. He tries to summon a little to pull it open, but then he catches sight of the latch. 

It’s locked. 

Of course. 

Hanzo’s frantic now as the adrenaline from the prospect of being kicked out without a single thread on his person sets in. He knocks.

“Elio?” He rasps. “Elio!”

The light doesn’t even flicker on. 

He bangs his fists into the glass, he opens his mouth to shout— his pleas are this garbled, gravely sound that hurt to produce. He sways as he tries to rise to full height against the door. Hanzo has to focus on the pavement beneath his feet to ground himself against the wave dizziness that comes when he stands. The water dripping down his face from the tub makes it that much more difficult. Once he’s up, he braces harder against the door and tries to rattle the handle to get his boyfriend’s attention. The longer he’s outside, the more he panics, the louder he pounds into the door.

“Elio! It’s freezing, please let me inside!”

The pain in his throat is starting to peak. He gives the door a good throttle when a light flicks on over the fence. 

Hanzo freezes and presses against the glass at the sound of the neighbor’s back door swinging open. 

“Hello? Who is it?” Some one calls. Then softer, to someone else, also behind the fence, “You heard it too right? What the hell was that?”

“Yeah, hello?” Someone else follows. 

Hanzo slides down against the door, huddles up against it to hide. 

“Do you think it was the neighbors?”

“I don’t know which side it would be, though.”

Hanzo tries his hardest to make himself as small as possible. He doesn’t want to be seen. He doesn’t want be seen naked, locked out, on the back porch, _naked_ , by his neighbors. How would he even explain that? They wouldn’t even give him the chance to, they would call the cops. Hanzo shivers at the thought. 

The conversation dies down several minutes later, the two got side tracked and joked around about the mystery noises and horror films. They figure it’s just raccoons in some trash, or something. 

The light flicks back off and the door sounds shut again. 

Hanzo lets out a breath he didn’t even know he was holding in a soft sob. It hurts his throat, but it doesn’t stop. The tears don’t stop. He shakes. He curls up tighter, quietly begging into the glass. It’s all he can do. 

He can’t knock anymore. He cannot shout. He cannot be seen. 

He just silently begs Elio to let him back in soon.


	12. So Long Prince Charming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The sliding glass door clicks open. Hanzo’s skin was stuck to it, from the morning sun bearing down on him. It was baking him in his sweat, so it stung when it slid away. It hurts even worse when it gives way and gravity drops him onto the floor. 
> 
> “Come in.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: unwanted touching, excessively controlling behavior, privacy violation, manipulation, in-depth description of bruising 
> 
> Okay, I wanted this out yesterday but then I realized that it was my birthday. Ha.
> 
> Anyway, this fic is now around 40,000 words. That’s... kind of a novel??? Thanks for being with me throughout the whole thing. I appreciate each and every one of you, this has been an adventure.
> 
> One more chapter to go, and maybe an epilogue, but I have plans for a part two (with much more mchanzo, I hope)

The sliding glass door clicks open. Hanzo’s skin was stuck to it, from the morning sun bearing down on him. It was baking him in his sweat, so it stung when it slid away. It hurts even worse when it gives way and gravity drops him onto the floor. 

“Come in.”

Hanzo pushes himself up off the tile. He gets his whole body across the threshold and the door shuts behind him. 

“Are you dry?”

Hanzo goes to answer but sound isn’t something that wants to exit Hanzo’s body at the moment. 

“Whatever. Just get up and get dressed. I just made breakfast. Earlier I was debating whether or not I would make you some, so count yourself lucky that I even thought to...”

Hanzo zones out as he talks but he manages to stand, not without difficulty, to full height to face his boyfriend.

“So I hope you thought long and hard about us while I let you air dry—” Elio stops talking once he gets a real look at Hanzo and blanches. 

Hanzo just stares, confused at the sudden pause. Elio’s eyes roam his face quickly, openly. Hanzo tilts his head as if to ask, what? What is it? Was there something on his face?

“Go... go clean yourself up,” The blond murmurs, suddenly unable to look at him. “Tell me when you’re done so I can get you something to eat.”

Hanzo’s heart stalls. 

Elio can’t stand the sight of his face, but has made him breakfast.

What did that even mean?

Hanzo does as he’s told nonetheless. He hobbles over to the stairs and takes his time getting to the second floor. He had to be careful. His legs were swollen and scraped from shivering on the concrete all night, he didn’t want falling down the stairs to punctuate everything else. 

He gets to their room with very little trouble, glad to have made it without dropping. Hanzo sits on the edge of the bed as pulls on a pair of underwear. 

It’s instant relief. The calm that comes with putting on a simple black pair of boxer briefs is almost ridiculous. He’s so glad to be decent again, the risk of embarrassment over. He could cry. 

He is crying. 

Hanzo wipes at his face hurriedly and shuffles back to the drawers for a sweatshirt and sweatpants. The fabric smarts against his skin, he knows he’s probably sunburnt in a lot of places, but it feels so much better than the open air. He pulls on a pair of socks too. Black ones, one of the pairs he got with the dragon ones. 

Not an inch of himself to be seen.

Hanzo sighs at the comfort. He decides to go finish getting himself together. Once he reaches the bathroom, pointedly ignoring the tub, he relieves himself, pointedly ignoring the brief moment needed to expose himself to do so. He flushes, washes his hands, and when he looks up into the mirror he could see what had Elio so shaken up. 

The skin from his collarbone to his cheeks was speckled with specks of pinks to reds to purples, devastated where the veins popped. On top of those were large, angry marks, the size of quarters, fanned along the left of his throat. He couldn’t see anymore than seven of these, but he couldn’t see the back of his neck without pulling out his hand mirror. His lip was busted—maybe he bit it? He couldn’t remember. It was scabbed over already, so it didn’t matter too much. The speckling made it all the way up past his check and to his eyelids, top and bottom, where the main event lay. 

His eyes.

Half of the left one was completely red, as if it were half drowned in blood. The other had a similar splotch, he could see some of it if he looked up, but it wasn't as bad as the left. He lifts an unsteady hand to his cheek. 

Elio really did a number on him this time. Hanzo would say it topped the broken nose. 

He looks himself over once more.

He stood, miss matched in his pink sweat shirt and blue sweatpants. His hair was a nest, half of it dried funny against the glass. His face, fucked. Eyes, teary and bloodied. 

He’ll call in sick today. 

He picks up a brush and tries to tidy the mess on the top of his head. 

He manages to make it down the stairs and eases into one of the dining chairs. Elio spooks at the sound of the seat scraping the kitchen tile as Hanzo sits. He still makes him a plate of french toast. It smells divine. 

“Here, Lovely,” he says, as he places a fork and a knife in front of him. 

Hanzo cuts off a piece of the bread to put into his mouth. It stings the whole way down.

“Thank...” he tries. It’s painful to hear and painful to say.

He looks up at Elio, to see if he’d heard— and yes, it looks like he has. His eyes are full of tears. 

“Hanzo, I—” his voice cracks. Hanzo can’t quite bring himself to want to comfort him this time. He blinks slowly as Elio devolves into tears.

The blonde sniffle as he pads over, buries his face into his shoulder and drops his weight onto Hanzo’s side. Hanzo drops his cutlery to hold Elio to keep from falling out of his chair, what with the way he’s dropped himself onto Hanzo. Elio clutches at his sweat shirt, sobbing into his sleeve. 

“Lovely I’m... so sorry, I didn’t mean to... I was just so mad...”

Hanzo just pats his shoulder as Elio rambles, staring longingly at the plate in front of himself. He wants to eat his breakfast before it got cold. Or maybe he should let it get cold? Maybe he should make a cold protein breakfast shake instead. Or some plain bread and tea— something that wouldn’t aggravate his throat. He’s calling in sick for a week or two, for sure, he’ll have to work from home, but he has to make sure to recover as quickly as possible. 

“Hanzo? Can you hear me? I’m sorry, I’m sorry, can you ever forgive me? I’m so terrible, Hanzo don’t be mad, don’t be mad...”

Hanzo just smoothed his hand across his shoulder as he shakes. This forgiveness thing has been getting kind of... difficult lately. He doesn’t know how his brother does it, because right now? Hanzo couldn’t care less about the concept right now. He just wants to eat and lay down on a surface other than the floor. Elio slumps to the floor and sobs roughly into Hanzo’s stomach. 

Hanzo can’t make out whatever he’s saying now. He’s somewhere else now. He’s mentally typing up his email to top management and directors about his unavailability for what looks like the rest of the month. He’d might loose his job, he can’t very well get a doctors note. Well, maybe if he didn’t go to one of the hospitals in the area— but he can’t talk. It’s more of an issue than it’s worth.

Would it be inappropriate to CC a picture of his own face as proof?

Hanzo coughs to smother the laugh that wants to bubble up at the thought. He hates that he find that so fucking funny.

He comes back down to earth to look down at Elio, who is sniveling into him.

What a show.

Hanzo places a hand on top of the curly headed man. Elio lifts his ruddy face, eyes swollen with tears. 

“Tell me,” he suddenly begs.

Uhoh. Looks like tuned back in a little bit too late. Hanzo opens his mouth and begins to rasp. Elio frantically covers his mouth with his hands. 

“J-just, here!” He throws open one of the drawers and hunts for a pen and memo pad. Once he finds both, he places it in front of Hanzo. “Just,” he sniffs. “Write it here. Tell me what you need. I’ll take care of you, alright?”

Hanzo uncaps the pen and thinks. 

What does he need?

_i need my computer to call in sick and a tylenol._ Hanzo’s script reads, tall and thin on the pad. 

Hanzo puts down the pen and then points to his plate. Elio watches Hanzo try to eat the rest of his breakfast. He rises, pulling at his hair, but doesn’t see Hanzo’s bruised and narrow eyes follow him as he passes the stove, where he catches sight of the clock. 

1:42 pm. 

Elio left him out there until around noon. 

Hanzo only makes it through one slice. When his throat buckles from the pain, he chokes and has to spit the piece he was working on into a napkin. 

The rest of his breakfast is a glass of water mixed with honey. He warmed it to get the glob of honey to mix, and then iced it to numb is throat. 

When Elio hands him his laptop, Hanzo gets to work cancelling everything. 

He can’t make it to meetings, not even through video like this. He says he’s come down with strep throat. It will buy a week, maybe one and a half at least. He doesn’t know what to do later. He googled it, he wasn’t going to look any better for a long time. 

He has to cancel Sunday with Genji, but Elio won’t let him have his phone, or rather he won’t tell Hanzo where it is. Hanzo’s going to hear it, later. He’ll make a call and apologize when he gets some of his voice back. Maybe by then, Elio will at least let him call. 

He thinks that Amélie will be out of the state for a week, so shouldn’t have to worry too much about her. This wouldn’t be the first time Hanzo’s disappeared on a sabbatical. He’ll be fine. 

This week he’ll be fine. 

Elio doesn’t think so. 

He can’t even look at Hanzo without getting stressed out. This wasn’t like his nose— this couldn’t be explained away. It’s very obvious what has happened to Hanzo. 

Elio also can’t bring himself to leave Hanzo alone. He always has to be in the same room with him, touching him when he can. 

Hanzo’s sitting on the couch, next to him but leaned onto the arm of the sofa, half asleep. Elio reaches out to touch his forehead to make sure that he doesn’t have a fever. Hanzo flinches awake. Elio pulls back, teary eyed. 

“Sorry,” Elio sniffs. 

What a show. 

Later, Hanzo tries changing in upstairs later in their bedroom. Elio draws in a sharp breath at the bright red skin peeling on Hanzo’s shoulders. Hanzo then has to sit through Elio spreading aloe lotion all over his body. 

He apparently has to be undressed for this. Elio shucks him out of his sweatpants, since Hanzo already took care of the shirt. 

He hates this. He doesn’t want to be seen, let alone touched. He’s disgusting, remember? He doesn’t want to be touched. You don’t touch garbage. 

Elio’s hands smooth over his shoulders. 

Stop touching. 

Stop touching, stop touching, stop touching, stop touching, stop touching, stop touching, stop touching, stop touching, stop touching, stop touching, stop touching, stop touching, stop touching, stop touching, stop—

Hanzo wakes up to the sound of the bedroom door opening. 

Elio’s going through shopping bags, placing the clothing from inside onto the bed beside him. 

Hanzo’s head feels like it weighs thirty pounds when he tries to lift it. 

“Here, try this on,” Elio says. He hands him a turtle neck. Hanzo glances at the rest of the clothing on the sheets. They’re all turtle necks. 

Is that uniform attire for dating Elio?

Hanzo makes like he’s yawning to cover the smile he makes at his own joke. 

Hanzo tries the first one on, its black. He likes it. It’s very handsome on himself. Elio makes him try on another style, and that’s it. 

“The rest of them are the same thing but in different colors, so you don’t have to try on everything. I want you to wear these until you heal, okay?”

Hanzo nods loosely. 

“Okay. Go back to sleep. I’ll make you dinner.”

It’s dinner time? Whatever. 

He can’t really eat much of it, anyway. 

Its soup today, so it’s easy. He gets through more than half of it, he’s famished, before his throat seizes one too many times from swallowing. He huffs and finishes his water, instead. 

After dinner, Elio insists on Hanzo drinking a vitamin c mix— “You were outside in the cold the other day,”— and another round of aloe lotion. 

It’s good for him. He knows. 

It’s just not what he wants right now. 

The next morning marks Elio’s first morning at the bookstore. He’s reluctant to leave, but Hanzo sits primly on the couch in order to encourage him to go. He leaves after one last glance, and only after a whole ten minutes has passed does Hanzo let out a breath. 

It’s day three of his isolation and this is the first he’s actually been by himself. 

Wait, was it day three? Was it day two? He can’t fucking tell, what does it matter if he can. Even as he turns on the news, he doesn’t attempt to do the math when the anchor says that it’s Friday. When he heals, everyone will have done the math for him. 

Elio has the next day’s shift, too. Hanzo spends that one doing an expense report for someone and hunting for his phone. 

No dice. 

When Elio comes back that evening, Hanzo had written on the note pad, asking about it. 

Elio’s hands flex and his eyes dart away from the page. 

“I can’t... I don’t know where it is, Lovely. Why do you even need it?”

Hanzo, knowing exactly what he would say, flips to the next page. _What if someone were to break in? Or if I needed to text you about something?_

“I’ll... get you a new one then.”

That Monday, Elio returns with a flip phone. Hanzo would think was cute if it weren’t for the circumstances. 

His stomach feels bitter as he turns it over in his hand. 

“My number is already, um, in there. And you know 911. Good, right?”

_Good right?_

Hanzo clutches the phone in his hand tightly. He doesn’t look up as he nods. 

“Good. Great. Let’s... let’s get you fed.”

Dinner was porridge and a roll. Hanzo eats half of it without tasting anything. 

Hanzo goes to wash his dish, but Elio shoos him from the sink. Hey lays down on the couch instead. 

For the next few days, Hanzo has been testing his voice. Some times it sounds like shit and sometimes it doesn’t even sound. Nothing new, but the consistency is good. 

He’s been avoiding emails from Satya and Amélie. Looks like both of them have comeback to his building and have taken not of his absence. He reassures them that he’s just fine, just a little sick. No more, no less.

He doesn’t answer questions about his phone. He doesn’t answer questions about how his brother is worried about him. 

He’s just fine at home. Just a little sick. 

Elio drops the groceries harshly onto dining table where Hanzo has fallen asleep on the couch. He was reading an email sent to him about the latest marketing strategies and he was supposed to approve or deny it. Pretty dry stuff. 

Hanzo sits up and pushes the computer off of his lap. He tilts his head to show that he’s paying attention. 

“Your brother has been calling nonstop for the past three days. What do I do?”

Hanzo blinks. The past few days?

What day is it? He hasn’t been keeping track. If something is sent to him to do he does either immediately or whenever the next time he’s a wake. The only thing that’s been keeping time for him is the state of his appearance, which seems to have reached its peak in grisliness. 

“Hanzo!”

Hanzo blinks back to attention. He’s been spacing out lately. That’s not good. 

Hanzo shrugs because it’s not his fault. He hasn’t been able to use his phone this entire time, so what does Elio want him to do about it?

“Have you been messaging him?”

Hanzo shakes his head. 

“...Give me your phone.”

Hanzo digs into the couch cushion next to him and hands it to Elio. 

He watches as Elio searches through the flip phone. The way the blonde’s grey eyes hunt makes Hanzo anxious, and the way his shoulders relax when all he sees is his and Elio’s conversations puts a bitter taste in Hanzo’s mouth. 

“Okay... okay.”

Elio’s pocket rapidly vibrates, and he reaches inside of his rain coat to stop it. Hanzo can see his hands shake, frazzled, as he tries to decline the call. “God dammit, what do I do... what—“ the phone starts back up again. “Stop— stop calling! For fucks,” he curses, as he tries to turn off the phone without cutting himself on the glass. 

Hanzo rises and puts his hand on Elio’s arm. He jumps. 

“What! What is it?”

Hanzo points at the phone and makes a ‘give me’ motion with his hand. 

“Huh? Give you the— no, why would I do that?”

Hanzo lifts an brow as the phone goes off again. Elio groans.

“Fine. But you call him right here, okay?”

Hanzo nods and takes the phone and sits back down on the couch. He pats the cushion next to him for Elio to sit. The blonde takes off his coat and sits, wringing his hands as Hanzo unlocks the phone to call his brother. 

“Ha—“ Hanzo coughs to clear his throat in hopes it will come out stronger. “Hai.” It’s barely an improvement. 

“Hanzo, what the fuck?!”

Elio takes the phone to briefly put the conversation on speaker. Hanzo looks up at the ceiling. 

“Excuse me?” Hanzo offers in Japanese. 

“I said, what the fuck. No ones been able to get a hold of you for a whole fucking week and— no, almost two weeks now, and—“

Two weeks! That’s how long it’s been since he's gone outside. He knew someone would tell him. He knew he didn’t have to do keep track. Hanzo whiles his nose to keep from laughing during his brother’s rant. 

“You’ve been ignoring my calls, you’ve been ignoring everyone’s calls, and Angel and I are fucking worried sick, Hanzo. Amélie keeps bothering me because she doesn’t hear anything from you other than about your work. You sent me to voice mail 20 different times. I’m actually being lenient, since I just checked, it’s actually 23, like that’s any better. What the fuck has kept you so busy that you couldn’t pick up to tell me you weren’t coming on Sunday?! You never do that! Never, not once have you just disappeared like that, not even after father kicked us out. Not once. I thought something terrible had happened to you. Come on, Hanzo. Talk, say something, anything, just—“ Genji huffs into the receiver. 

“I apologize, my phone has been,” Hanzo swallows thickly. “My phone has been broken. Sometimes it turns off and will not turn back on because of the screen—“

“Wait, hold on, shut up— are you sick?”

Hanzo nods, but then remembers Genji can’t see him. “I have been out of work for a while,” he half whispers, half rasps. 

“For two weeks, no improvement?”

“I would say it is actually gotten worse.” 

He looks up at his boyfriend. 

Boyfriend? 

Hanzo doesn’t want to think about what the title implies and whether or not that applies here. Elio looks like he’s trying to figure out what’s being said. Hanzo wants to laugh at him. It’s what he gets for refusing to let Hanzo teach him the language, despite his paranoia. 

“Hanzo, are you sure it’s not serious? That’s a long time for a cold.”

“Maybe it is the flu.”

“That is no better. 

“I am fine.”

“You don’t sound fine!”

Hanzo sighs. 

“Do not worry about me, brother. If it is serious then I will go to a hospital. Is that okay?”

Genji grumbles. “I guess. Get some rest. Okay?”

Hanzo smiles to himself. “Okay. Only because you said so.”

“I’ll take it. Don’t do that again. Bye.”

“Bye.”

Genji hangs up. 

Elio slips the phone back into his pocket. “What did he say?”

“He was mad that I haven’t picked up,” Hanzo whispers. His throat throbs from the strain of the conversation. 

“Ugh. Annoying. Anything else?”

“He wants me to see a doctor. For my cold.”

“You have a cold?”

Hanzo raises his voice so it rasps. “No.”

Elio winces at the sound. “I’m— um... I’ll get you the note pad. And some vitamin C mix.”

Hanzo nods once as he watches the blonde rises to go to the kitchen. 

Now that should have cleared everything up.

Elio didn’t bother him about any other calls, just questions about what to send back to whoever texts his phone.

Hanzo’s enjoying his staycation, as much as he can when he can’t really eat and the resulting low blood sugar has him tired all of the time. Elio has been spoiling him. He draws him baths, makes him his meals, leaves him a premade lunches. He washes Hanzo’s hair, treats his sunburn, puts icy hot on his bruises.

As Elio tries to rub the soreness in his neck away, he asks, “Now isn’t that heaven?”

Hanzo cannot answer. Those hands are back onhis throat and he’s stilled by his panic. 

It’s Sunday afternoon, according to the burner phone. Hanzo’s sits on the couch, dozing with his laptop on his lap. 

Elio has moved the coffee table and has rolled out the yoga mat for Pilates. Some show mentioned something about how to do it at home and so he wanted to pick up the hobby again.

He’s in a really good side bending stretch when someone knocks on the door. 

He drops the pose and stares long and hard at the door. He turns back around measure Hanzo up, to see if he was expecting anyone.

Hanzo cracks one eye open. 

“Do you want me to get the door?” He wispers. 

The person at the door knocks again. Elio jumps. 

“Don't be stupid. Go upstairs.”

Hanzo huffs and takes his laptop with him to their bedroom. 

Elio stands up from where he knelt and opens the door after who ever it is knocks a third time. 

“Hey! Anjia, I—“ Genji starts, loud and merry, before pausing at the sight of the blonde. “Oh! Oh. Sorry, Elio.”

“Uh... it’s no problem ?” He leans against the door frame as he gives them a once over. 

Them because Jesse’s here too, eyes set into a hard stare over Genji's shoulder. Genji doesn’t seem to notice, arms full of snacks and canned teas. His hair is greener than usual, freshly dyed, pushed back with one of his dumb head bands. They’re both dressed comfortably, like they’re about to have a slumber party or something. 

“Can I... help you guys?”

“Is Hanzo here right now? I know he’s been sick but it’s been a while and I wanted to check up on him,” Genji explains. Elio raises an eye brow. 

“...And junk food is supposed to make him feel better?”

Genji shrugs. “It makes me feel better. Also, Jesse brought soup.”

Jesse raises a Tupperware bowl, eyes still menacing under his hat.

“We’ll be out of your hair before you go to bed, for sure,” Genji continues. “We just wanna watch shitty TV and make sure Hanzo’s not about to drop dead.”

“He’s not. I’m taking care of him just fine.”

“I’m... not saying you’re not it’s just— he hides things a lot. Jesse’s the one who pointed it out, Hanzo puts on a brave face a lot. I just wanted to make sure he’s fine. For my own peace of mind.”

Elio glances from Genji to Jesse and back again, face unreadable. 

“Okay... fine. Let me call him down. He’ll probably want to freshen up.”

Genji laughs as Elio lets them in, trying to lighten the mood in the conversation. “Even while he’s sick he’s a prima donna.”

Elio throws half of a laugh over his shoulder and sits them down on the couch. “A little... Oh, let me get that,” he says, moving Hanzo’s charger from the cushions before they sat. “Hanzo left it down here, he’s such a mess.”

Jesse tuts. Elio ignores him as he goes upstairs to the bedroom. 

Hanzo lifts his head as he walks in, silently questioning. Elio bears down on him, grabs his arm roughly. 

“Did you call them?”

Hanzo blinks and shakes his head. “Who?” He mouths. 

“Your brother and the dumb cowboy. You called them. You know your brother’s number and you called them.”

Hanzo shakes his head harder, eyebrows deeply furrowed with panic. Elios grey eyes searches his. Hanzo tries to keep his breathing from shallowing. 

“Let me see your phone. Where is it?”

Hanzo points at the door. It’s still downstairs. 

Elio huffs and starts taking out an outfit for him. 

“Well, whatever. They’re here so clean yourself up. Go get dressed.”

Hanzo rises and heads into the bathroom to shower. Hanzo doesn’t know how this’ll turn out. 

He showers, pulls on a pair of black jeans and a turtle neck, and gets started on his make up. 

Downstairs, Elio returns to the living room and hands Genji the remote. 

“Um... Thanks.”

Elio smiles, dazzlingly, suddenly in host mode. 

“Not a problem. Do you guy want anything to eat? Drink? I was going to get started on dinner.”

Jesse spreads his arms out on the couch and crosses his ankles on the yoga mat. Genji had taken his shoes off before entering, but Jesse stayed in his boots. They’re not even his nice ones. They’re the ones he wears to work when his favorite ones need to be buffed. 

He relishes in the fact that it makes his host’s eye twitch. “Naw I’m fine.”

“Hm. Okay... Um.” Elio takes a measured breath. “Can you... take your shoes off? Please.”

Jesse plays like he’s forgotten. “Oh! I guess I forgot. _Sorry_ , pal.”

Genji swats him over the head as he bends down to unlace his boots. “Stop being an ass, I told you to behave!” He whispers harshly. “Can I get a drink? Don’t worry about him.”

“I won’t.” The blonde says as he rolls up his mat while the cowboy is putting his shoes at the door. “Let me put this back and then I’ll check the fridge for you.” 

Elio leans the mat against the wall next to the umbrella stand and then drags the coffee table back to where it belongs. Then, he walks into the kitchen and peaks into the refrigerator before peaking his head back out into the living room. 

“Is fruit punch or lemonade okay? I can make some fresh.”

“You make fresh fruit punch?”

Jesses eyes widen in interest. “Like from scratch?”

Elio nods. “I use pineapple and coconut milk, but I squeeze the cherries and lemons and blend the strawberries myself. When it’s hot out, I make it into a slushie.”

Genji hums happily at the thought. “Can I... have a fruit punch slushie? Please?” He asks. 

Elios smiles. “Of course. Jesse... would you like one too?”

Jesse lowers his head, hiding behind the brim of his hat. “Sure,” he mutters. 

Elio laughs under his breath and returns to the kitchen. 

Genji nudges Jesse. “If the slushie’s good will you admit he’s not that bad?”

Jesse sniffs and takes off his hat. “I...” Jesse scratches through his hair. “I’ll consider it. That’s it.”

Meanwhile, Elio mixes the juices and the strawberries with ice in the blender. He pulls out the lemons and halves one before clicking on the blender to cover his frantic search for Hanzo’s phone. He’s throwing open drawers and rummaging for it, eventually finding it on the seats in front of the island table. He flicks it open. 

The only contact is his own and the only correspondence is to himself. 

He opens his own phone to check the message history on it through their account.

More of the same. 

Elio lets out a long breath and turns off the blender. “Okay,” he says aloud. He opens one of the cabinets for the citrus squeezer. As he’s pressing for juice, he glances at the blender. It’s going to need more ice, it’s next to water since he’d let it go for too long. 

The sugar from the cherries should balance it out. 

Once he’s finished making the drinks he returns to his guests, who seem to have figured out which channel 90 Day Fiancé is on. It’s too early now, so it’s some other trash series, but Jesse seems to be interested. Elio serves them their drinks in talk glasses. 

“Oh, wow, that’s beautiful,” Genji praises. Elio bashfully waves him off. 

Jesse takes his glass and sips it. It’s delicious. His stepdad’s sister makes a good punch but it’s nowhere near as good as this.

This isn’t fucking fair. 

“How is it?” Elio asks, smug. 

“It’s fine,” Jesse grouches, despite the fact that he’s nearly halfway through. 

“It’s really good, thank you,” Genji amends. “I can’t believe Hanzo never told me about this.”

“He likes it when I make the green tea and orange juice version of this more. He thinks this is too sweet.”

Genji nods. “Yeah, I could see that.” He takes another sip before pausing. “You know, speaking of which, Hanzo’s taking a lot of time.”

Elio is staring at the TV. “Yeah. I’m used to it.”

Genji laughs. “That’s funny... I think I’ll go check on him, though.” He points at his drink as he sets it on the table. “This will keep, right?”

Elio nods stiffly and turns his head to look at him. 

“Mm, yeah— where are you going?”

“Upstairs?”

“Give him some privacy, he’s changing.”

Jesse pipes up from the couch, not looking away from the screen. “It’s his brother, they haven’t seen each other in a couple of weeks. Let him go.”

Elio shoots a quick glare at the cowboy and chews his lip. “...Whatever.”

Genji gives him an annoyed laugh in response and walks upstairs. He peaks his head into the room before walking in. 

Their bedroom was very much how he expected it. Simple and tidy, with lots of books. The only thing he didn’t expect was the pattern on the bedding. Hanzo calls him tacky but the broken up stripes that run horizontally across the fabric looked like Morse Code. He couldn’t wait to tease him about it. 

“Hanzo,” Genji calls. He hears hurried movement from what must be the bathroom. 

Hanzo steps out, hair up, looking nearly flawless. 

“Woah, hot, where are you— Oh my god, what the fuck happened to your eyes?”

Hanzo winces. Nearly flawless. 

“I sneezed too hard,” he rasps. “A bunch of vessels popped.” He rasps. 

“You sound awful.”

Hanzo gives him a look. Genji snickers but stops himself short. “But seriously, a sneeze can do that?”

“...Yes. Google it.”

“I don’t really want to, if it’s anything like that.”

Hanzo rolls his eyes.

“Ew don’t do that!”

Hanzo rolls his eyes harder. 

“Gross, Hanzo! I can’t believe I missed you.”

Hanzo laughs silently, walks over to Genji to hug him. “I missed you too,” he whispers. 

Genji huffs and hugs him back. A beat passes and he pushes Hanzo away. “Ok. You don’t feel like you have a fever... I won’t make you go to the hospital, you’re not warm.”

Hanzo looks at him, taken aback at the fact that his hug was used to check him. 

“Whatever, Hanzo, you know I appreciate it when you hug me, no matter rare it is that you do. The fact that I can note your temperature when I do is just killing two birds with one stone.” Genji starts going through the drawers. “Now tell me which one of these is yours, you are too dressed up for the evening I have planned.”

Hanzo snorts. Genji looks up at him. 

“What?”

“This is fine.”

“You’re sick. You should dress comfortably and eat trash. Here,” Genji pulls out a sweater and a pair of Elio’s basketball shorts. “This is good. Throw this on.”

Hanzo shifts uncomfortably. “...Fine.”

“So stubborn... speaking of stubborn,” Genji starts. He’s wandering around the room while Hanzo wonders how to cover up all of his bruises. 

The lighter ones on his face, around his eyes, and on his chest have begun to yellow. The big ones around his neck are just over their peak, still green and purple in many places. He tried earlier in the week, but no amount of corrector will fix that. His foundation is buildable, but if he layers everything on it doesn’t look natural. Being asked to take off his make up to show their severity will be way more embarrassing than just showing him. 

“Also— is your boyfriend always like that?” Genji continues. “I don’t want to be rude but, like he wouldn’t let me up here. It was kind of assy.”

Hanzo feels as though he could prolong this by starting with his jeans. His legs are fine, at least. The scrapes there are gone. It’s above the stomach where it becomes a problem. “That’s just,” Hanzo clears his throat. “That’s just how he... is.”

“He doesn’t have guests a lot?”

“No.”

“I can understand that a little. Aunt Miu was like that.”

Hanzo huffs a laugh. That’s because she was a basket case. He fiddles with the hem of his turtle neck But he cannot bring himself to lift it. 

“But like, seriously, hurry up. I left Jesse down there, and there’s an expiration on that.”

Hanzo’s fingers shake as he nods. All at once. Like a bandaid.

Hanzo pulls off the turtle neck, loosening his perfect bun and leaving himself vulnerable to be seen. He starts to put on the sweater, but stops when he hears his brother suck in a sharp breath. He raises himself to his full height, strong and postured under his brother’s horrified gaze.

“Anija...”

“Ta-da.” Hanzo mutters. 

Genji crosses over to where Hanzo stands. He gently touches at his brother’s neck. “What happened? Is this why you haven’t...” He trails off. 

Hanzo shrugs. Genji points a finger at him sternly. 

“Don’t do that. Tell me. Now, Hanzo, I am so fucking serious right now.”

Hanzo’s posture doesn’t fail, he’s still on the defensive as he moves his brother’s hand from his face. 

“I am not a child.”

Genji stares him down, hard. “You know, I’m finding that very difficult to believe right now.”

Hanzo’s eyes sharpen. It’s has no effect on his little brother at this point. They’ve both grown, Genji is immune, and Hanzo has softened. This behavior was regression to old habits, but he is not the same as he was back in Hanamura. This was a façade. 

Genji has to do some critical thinking in order to get right to the point, then. He thinks about his brother and how he didn’t show up on Sunday. And how Hanzo didn’t answer the phone until a week after his boyfriend picked up and said ‘he’d relay a message.’ And how Elio answered the door and blocked him from the stairs. And how Hanzo’s wearing make up even though he’s sick. 

Genji keeps his voice low. “Was it... Elio?”

Hanzo’s eyes meet his. He does nothing. 

“And when you broke your nose... it wasn’t the—”

“No,” Hanzo breathes. “Not the cabinets.”

Genji breaths in heavily and blinks as he looks over his shoulder towards the door. “I...” he swallows thickly, a mix of angry and something else, and sits his brother down. “I’ll be right back.”

He walks into the bathroom and comes back with Hanzo’s make up wipes. “Take that off, wait here. I’m sending Jesse up.”

Hanzo nods, eyes not meeting his brother. Shame creeps along his neck like his bruises. 

Genji steps silent downstairs, where Jesse was left alone with his second cup of punch slush. Genji lifts him by the arm firmly, and Jesse leans forward to hear what Genji has to say. He normally does this at lounge bars when he wants tell Jesse about some guy he might like, but this time face looked dark. Genji is obviously not being a wing man here. 

“Go upstairs, and pack Hanzo a bag. As many of his things as possible.”

“Huh?” Jesse’s dumbfounded. Didn’t they just get here?

“Just, please? Do this, I’ll explain everything later. Just pack up, let’s go.” Genji lets go of him and starts walking into the kitchen. “I’ll meet you two in the car.”

Jesse blinks, but does exactly as he’s told. He hurries upstairs where Hanzo still sits on bed. Hanzo looks up at the sound of someone coming in, and Jesse can see what made Genji so upset. 

Hanzo sees when he sees, and his eyes go sharp again. 

“Say what you need.” Hanzo bites. “Say it. You told me so.”

Jesse shakes his head. “I ain’t here to say nothin, Doll.” He starts going through their closet. “You gotta suit case er... a big backpack?”

Hanzo points to the floor. “Underneath the bed.”

Hanzo and Jesse kneel at the foot of the bed, Jesse lifts the bedsheet while Hanzo reaches under for his luggage. They’re covered in dust. When Hanzo pulls out the first one Jesse lets go of the covers. 

“I have more than one,” Hanzo murmurs, turning to Jesse.

The cowboy has crumpled in on himself, hands on his face. He heaves a great, shakey, sigh. 

“Why’d you let him do all that to you? Why’d you wait ‘till it got this bad.”

Hanzo says nothing. 

He watches Jesse as he tries to regain composure. He manages to with a sniff before he lifts the sheet again in order to get the other case and the matching duffle. 

“We’re not taking everything right now,” Jesse tells him. “Just get your essentials and as many clothes as you can fit.”

Hanzo nods, and heads to the bathroom with the duffle. Jesse goes through the drawers and starts with the clothes he knows he’s seen Hanzo wear before. Hanzo returns and stars gathering things from the nightstand. 

“Do you two have separate drawers?”

Hanzo shakes his head and sits by Jesse to help him sort. Jesse wants to ask why, but he doesn’t want to discuss how they live. He just wants to get Hanzo out. 

They finish packing in silence.

“Do you think that’s everything?”

Hanzo sniffs and nods as he avoids looking at Jesse.

Why does he keep crying? He hates that he can’t handle himself anymore. He has control of not one thing, not even his emotions.

He wipes his face and stands. 

“Let us go.”

“Darlin, you don’t gotta—“

“Let’s _go_ ” Hanzo repeats, face blank again. Jesse frowns, but follows after Hanzo, carrying most of the bags. 

They make it downstairs, where Hanzo flinches at the sound of his brother screaming at Elio. His feet are rooted to the floor, and Jesse has to manually usher him to the door with a ‘come on, sugar plum.’

“Wait! No, don’t— Hanzo please wait!”

Hanzo turns around, eyes wide as Elio fights out of Genji’s path and stumbles to his knees to beg. Jesse groans, angrily, and tries to push Hanzo towards the door again. 

“We ain’t got time for this—“

“Hanzo please. I— I’m so sorry, you’re not leaving,” Elio grabs at Hanzo’s leg and embraces it, sobbing loud and ugly, tears heavily falling down his ruddy face. “Hanzo, no! I’m— I‘ll never— not again, I’ll be good and I’ll take care of you, I— I won’t ever hurt you again.”

“You almost killed him!” Genji barks. 

Jesse’s pulling at Hanzo again. Hanzo waves out of Jesse’s arms. 

“Let him speak.”

Elios eyes sparkle with a sort of desperate hope. He grips tightly at the fabric of Hanzo’s shorts and sniffs. 

“Don’t leave me,” he begs. “I won’t do anything like that to you again. Not ever! I’ll be better! Hanzo, don’t leave me please, I couldn’t live if you left me. I’ll die, Hanzo, if you leave me I’ll die.”

He reaches up to take Hanzo’s hand. “Tell me you’ll stay. Don’t leave me Hanzo, please tell me you’ll stay— stay!”

Hanzo stares down at him, measuring him coolly. He takes his hand back. 

“No.”

**Author's Note:**

> National Domestic Violence Hotline can help victims and survivors of domestic violence. Call 1-800-799-7233.


End file.
